


Shadows of You

by JLPeterson



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-16
Updated: 2020-09-16
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:21:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 21,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26112571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JLPeterson/pseuds/JLPeterson
Summary: Emma and Killian were married in Season 6 and are raising their baby daughter, Hope, back in Storybrooke. Henry is grown up with a family of his own. Regina has been cursed to forget her life up through the end of season 6. Through a series of improbable events Regina regains her memories and decides to cast a reverse-dark curse that brings all of the fairytale lands to Maine, adjacent to Storybrooke and hidden from the “World Without Magic”. As a result of this achievement, and somehow creating peace among the realms, she is voted in as “The Good Queen Regina”, who I perceive as the leader of what I call ‘The Council of the United Realms’. Everyone, including Emma (in a dress with her signature leather jacket on top), and Killian (holding their newborn daughter with a tennis ball stuck on the end of his hook) are there for Regina’s Coronation. Thus ends Season 7."Shadows of You" (Season 8) begins months after Regina became “The Good Queen”. She is not happy with it. Emma and Killian are having marriage problems. Snow and Charming are their blissfully happy selves trying to accomplish what they think is the right thing to do.
Relationships: Captain Hook | Killian Jones & Emma Swan, Emma Swan & Hope Swan-Jones, Evil Queen | Regina Mills & Emma Swan, Evil Queen | Regina Mills & Hope Swan-Jones, Prince Charming | David Nolan/Snow White | Mary Margaret Blanchard
Comments: 14
Kudos: 35
Collections: Swan Queen Supernova V: Forever Starstruck





	1. All I Wanna Do

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you Cesibear for creating the art to accompany this story! Please check it out at https://archiveofourown.org/works/26208721. 
> 
> SuperThanks to the Swanqueen Supernova moderators, to my beta-reader (Dr. Singe), and to my cheerleaders. 
> 
> Each episode’s title is a song. Before proof-reading each chapter, I put on my headphones, closed my eyes and consciously listened to the music and lyrics. With the song in my head, I read. Made me feel it more. I’m telling you that here because you might want to give it a go.

**_Episode 01_** **_“All I Wanna Do”_** _(Sheryl Crow)_

_He is quite handsome_ , Emma thinks, as she sits on the living room couch and watches Killian come down the stairs. He places Hope’s bottle on the kitchen counter. _Funny too - in a narcissistic kind of way. His body is, hmm, perfect._ She smiles at him as he opens the front door and returns her grin. He removes the tennis ball from his hook and gently tosses it to her. _Maybe not that perfect._ "Don't wait up Love," he blows her a kiss before he exits. _Why didn’t he come over and kiss me?_ He swaggers down the walkway to the street and she hears him sing "Yo Ho, Yo Ho ..."

On Friday nights Mr. Jones goes to “The Rabbit Hole” and stays until closing, drinking and reminiscing with Smee and a few other old crew mates. They tell grossly embellished stories about the countless days and nights of adventure aboard the Jolly Roger. These party nights at the Hole have become a regular event for Hook over the last few months. 

His wife, Emma, never goes with him, instead opting to look after their beautiful little daughter, Hope. Emma was very nervous after the baby was born. She was afraid that all her horrible experiences with foster parents and group homes would either make her over-protective or neglectful. 

On top of that, she has deeply-rooted abandonment issues caused by being deserted by her own parents shortly after her birth. After 35 years, she still struggles with trusting people. During her pregnancy she was fine. But when Hope became a new life on her own, Emma’s fears began to surface. She is very grateful for support from Regina and Snow. Emma had Regina’s own memories of raising Henry. By sharing a little in Snow’s handling of her baby brother Neal, she got some first-hand experience.

After Killian leaves the house, Emma goes into the kitchen to clean Hope’s bottle. She walks upstairs to her bedroom and begins to undress. The floral print easily slips off her shoulders, and, when she pulls down on the small zipper at her side, the dress pools around her sandals. Reaching around her back, she unfastens her bra. Slipping her fingers under a shoulder strap, she slides it off. The other strap falls and the bra drops onto her dress. She closes her eyes and lightly touches her shoulder, remembering when Killian would undress her slowly and tenderly, kissing her exposed skin as he went. _Was it over a year ago?_

Emma picks up her clothing off the floor and gets into her nightie. It’s a silky pale blue one that Killian gave to her on their anniversary. He had the temerity to tell her that “it brings out the blue in his eyes”. She puts a soft terry robe over it and pads barefoot into Hope’s nursery. She leans over the edge of the crib and gently brushes her daughter’s hair away from her face. At her mother’s touch, the little girl begins to stir. With her eyes closed, Hope’s arms circle above her as if seeking contact with something that will pick her up and care for her.

Emma lifts the baby into her arms and sits in the rocking chair next to the crib. She kisses Hope on her forehead and cheeks, and her daughter’s fingers wrapped around just one of Emma’s. “Hungry sweetheart? Let’s give you something to drink.”

After feeding Hope and placing her back in her crib, Emma turns out the soft light and goes back into her bedroom. She slips between the bedcovers and looks at the clock on her night table. It’s almost 1am. Killian should be coming home soon. She tries to fall asleep. 

Tossing and turning for about an hour, she gets up and wonders if she should be worried that Hook hasn’t returned home yet. Coming to the conclusion that he can take care of himself, she looks for something to read. What she wants to do is send a text message to Regina. Instead she picks up a book that she’s read before. It’s on how to raise children. She’s asleep within ten minutes. When Emma hears the front door open and close, she barely notices, slumber quickly pulling her back in.

…..

Hook loves Fridays. Smee and his mates are always at “The Rabbit Hole” earlier in the day to greet him enthusiastically. And _he_ always makes an entrance. Tonight he bellows out, "Now that I am here, let the games begin!" The barkeep automatically brings a bottle of rum to his table. It's their cheapest rum but no-one tells Jones that. The captain rules the table like he runs his ship. Correction. Like he _ran_ his ship. But that’s not something he wants to think about tonight. Or ever again.

"So what's first tonight Cap'n?" his former first mate, Smee, asks him. There’s four of them at the table and two others have dragged up chairs.

Killian calls over to the bartender, "You have cards for us right?" On confirmation, he looks to his buddies and announces "Poker it is, mates!" 

They've played so often, they already know the ante and toss in their coins. They love the sound of metal on the table, so they've got this system worked out where a nickel is worth $5 and so on. His former quartermaster, Bragg, sits on his left and is holding tonight’s purse. Bragg pulls out his old pipe and lights it as the Captain deals the cards.

It was touch-and-go for Hook up until the last couple hands. Lady Luck smiled on him at the finish. He swiggs the last bit of rum from the bottle and gathers up his coins to cash them in. The barmaids make their way around the room as three young men make their way to a tiny stage near the bar’s front door. While they set up their microphones and instruments, the patrons place their drink orders. The band opens their set with a loud and raucous song. Few know the verses but everyone in the bar knows the chorus, and the volume goes up as the room joins in. Leroy and his brothers arrive, and the hooting and hollering begins.

A couple hours later and with a few pints under his belt, Hook and his crew are at the pool tables. With years and years of learning to play with a hand and a hook, the Captain plays billiards very well. Killian is just about to take a shot when he hears someone in the dimness say "Mr. Swan". Hook spins on a bootheel and squints. 

Steely blue eyes latch onto Dr. Whale. In a moment the Captain has the Doctor by the neck, "WHAT did you just call me?" His grip is so tight that Whale can barely breathe let alone speak.

Killian's hook reflects one of the lights in the room. In bright clarity, the tip of the hook looks very sharp at the end. The Captain has it mere inches from the Doctor's fastly reddening face, "Nnnnothing,” Whale eeks out. Killian drops him to the floor and fumes as he returns to the pool table. 

He pulls out his flask for a swig only to find it empty. "Bloody hell." As soon as the words are spoken, Smee is at his side and gingerly removes the flask from a tight grip, "Let me take care of that for you Captain."

Killian barely keeps a lid on his anger for the rest of the night. He comes close to fisticuffs with the barkeeper at closing. The Captain meanders home. He stops at the docks and stares out onto the deep black ocean. He wonders about what has happened to him, to Emma. _What is a Captain without his ship? What is a pirate without his lust? What have I become?_

The things he loved most about Emma were her fierce and independent spirit. _She was so strong and beautiful. Ah, she’s still a beauty. But, she’s lost her fire. Her body’s always been soft but it’s even softer now. Not as firm as it was. Once she had a hard-edge to her determination. I can’t see it now - it’s like she’s become submissive? A mere shadow of her former self. Where is the Emma I fell in love with?_

He rests his arm on the dock’s railing and puts his face in his hand. _What was I thinking when I asked her to marry me?_ The fearsome pirate’s shoulders shake and he weeps, for himself and for Emma - his blonde crusader.

From the water’s edge to his front door, Killian’s mind and emotions are on a roller-coaster. He has regrets now. Before he and Emma married, he didn’t regret anything. His mouth would say “sorry” but his heart - it couldn’t. Everything he’d done was justified. He’d gotten what he wanted. He got Emma. _But at what price?_

Hook feels like he’s living someone else’s life. He’s not cut out to be a day-job husband with a curfew. He wears fake smiles and pretends to be happy with what he’s doing now. It makes him angry. He is starting to resent people. Snow, Charming and even Emma. Even Hope.

When he gets home it's about an hour before dawn on Saturday. He drops his jacket on the floor and sits on the couch in the living room. Thinking. Hook is convinced that everyone in town thinks of him as Mr. Emma Swan. Husband of Storybrooke's Savior. The Princess. The town's Angel. His breathing becomes harder and deeper. Suddenly, he turns and drags his hook through the smooth leather of the couch.


	2. Viva La Vida

**_Episode 02_** **_“Viva La Vida”_** _(Coldplay)_

The deep grey fog blanketing Regina’s castle on Friday morning matches her mood. It’s cool, damp and dark. The Good Queen is having evil thoughts. She did not sleep well last night and nightmares haunted her into the morning. When she woke up her jaw was sore, evidence that she’d been clenching her jaw and grinding her teeth. Regina quickly looked away when she saw her reflection in the mirror. Her expression reminded her too much of the Evil Queen.

Regina is angry. Her whole body wants to lash out. She feels like she’ll explode if she tries to contain it. She dresses with a snap of her fingers. With a wave of her hand, she’s standing on the rocky beach of a lake. The water is still but barely visible below the fog hovering over it. She summons a fireball and concentrates on increasing its size. Then she hurls it with all the physical and emotional strength she can muster at the largest boulder on the shoreline. When the flaming ball hits the stone, it shatters them both.

Exhausted, she sits on the trunk of a nearby bleached, weathered and branchless tree trunk. Regina stares at the shapeless cloud resting on the water as if it’s a movie screen upon which she begins to play her thoughts. She gleefully executes every person that has caused her grief since she became the Good Queen. Until she sees Emma displayed in the mist. At that point she begins to cry. Gloved hands cover her eyes and her shoulders shake. She allows herself to weep. Completely. After what feels like hours, Regina’s body, inside and out, is completely spent. 

Some of her subjects, a couple perpetually dissatisfied kings actually, wanted to withdraw from the Council of the Realms. Setting up the Council was Snow’s idea. It made sense if they were going to continue as a democratic coalition of Sovereign nations. 

Moving the realms together so that teleportation was unnecessary seemed like the perfect solution at the time. In retrospect, Regina wished that she’d given it more thought. Inequities between the different realms became more obvious. Some nations had many more magic-users than others, some were just poorer. Despite the neutral zones between each realm for the purpose of travel, there were attempted encroachments and bandits on the roads. It had turned into a mess that Regina really did not want to deal with, ever. 

Regina impeccably governed Storybrooke for 30 years as a pseudo-supreme-monarch with the modest title of “Mayor”. Until Emma Swan came into town. Wearing jeans, a tank-top and that god-awful red pleather jacket. Driving a VW Beetle - hardly worthy of being called a car. The Queen gives her head a shake.  _ There I go, thinking about  _ Emma  _ again! _

Of course everyone disagrees on what a “good ruler” is. Many still did not trust her even though she had been elected by the unanimous vote of the Council. Regina finds herself longing for a simpler life, especially now that she is knee-deep in political bullshit. She has lost track of time sitting on the log and now her butt is sore. She stands and stretches cat-like, clawing the air above her and arching her back. Regina doesn’t want to leave the peacefulness of the lakeside.

_ Breathe in and hold. Breathe out and hold. Repeat.  _ With her mind and heart a lot calmer now due to her release of feelings, she turns towards the castle and decides to walk, rather than teleport, back to the castle. The dirt path is damp but not muddy. Regina’s footfalls are silent. The guard stationed at the lakeside entrance to her castle startles at his Queen’s approach. He’s never seen her this close up before, and he gasps at her beauty and royal bearing. Trying to cover his blush, he bows deeply, “Good morning, Your Majesty.”

Regina strides into the vestibule with her chin up and looking taller than she actually is. There are a couple of small groups in the antechamber, and everyone instinctively turns to the Queen, sensing her presence. They incline their heads in an abbreviated bow and then return to their conversations. Except for Snow White who hurries over to Regina. She loops her arm around the Queen’s and leads Regina to a group of three men standing by the far wall next to a side table which holds a decanter of wine and several glasses.

Snow is speaking to the Queen as she is being ushered across the tile floor. Regina doesn’t listen to a word the woman is saying. She thinks Snow will repeat it once they reach the group. Regina fakes a broad smile and extends her hand to David. “Charming,” she says as he kisses the back of her hand. “I was just thinking that you and Snow are inseparable.” He immediately wraps his arm around his wife, “That we are.” They both smile at her.  _ So sweet I can feel cavities forming in my teeth.  _ David and Snow step a little to the side, as he gestures to the other two men. “Allow me to introduce Lord Bryan and Duke Westerly.”

By day’s end, Regina is completely exhausted. Since receiving the title of “Good Queen” she feels obligated to smile, listen and be gracious with everyone, despite how she feels internally about their ideas, opinions and behaviors. The conversations during the day were, for the most part, boring and unproductive. She has no appetite, and, given how little she did eat, probably drank more wine than she should have. 

Retiring to her bed chamber for the night, Regina changes into a simple dark blue satin and lace nightgown. She snaps her fingers in the direction of her fireplace and the wood ignites. After adjusting the cushions on her chaise lounge, she picks up the novel she’s been reading and gets comfortable. At least as much as she can manage. Her neck, shoulders and back ache from maintaining a regal posture all day. She leans back, eyes closed, with the book unopened on her lap. 

The Queen mentally conjures up a picture of Emma, standing, hands in her pockets and her body shaking with laughter at some snarky comment Regina had just made. Next, she pictures the blonde wearing a soft sweater and holding Hope. Emma is looking at the baby in a way all too familiar to Regina. She would look at Henry that way. Henry, in any realm, now grown. One version of him even has a daughter of his own.  _ I am way too young to be a grandmother!  _ She misses Henry, and, if she’s being truthful to herself, Emma, so much. 

Regina opens her eyes and looks at her book. It’s a historical novel set in England and France. She finds where she’d left off and looks at the page. After re-reading the first paragraph for the third time she accepts that no reading will be done tonight. Her mind and body are tired and her thoughts keep wandering back to Emma, to Henry as a child, and to the emptiness inside her.  _ I just want someone to love. Who loves me. Who is with me here and now. Is that too much to ask for? Is that something I still don’t deserve to have?  _


	3. Wherever I Go

**_Episode 03_** **_“Wherever I Go”_** _(OneRepublic)_

It’s 12:40 on Saturday afternoon, and both Killian and Hope are sound asleep. Emma looks out the living room window onto the very quiet street. A barely audible sigh escapes her. It feels like Hope was born a couple weeks ago, and that only a few months ago she and Killian were married. In the next minute she feels like she’s been Hope’s mother and Killian’s wife for years. Since they married, Emma only works occasionally, and they've both stopped working weekends. The mundane days repeat endlessly. 

Hook’s snore seems to fall down the stairs, rolling and dissipating into the wood floor just as another begins to make its descent. Emma doesn’t really mind when she’s wide awake. Hope is such a quiet baby that her husband's deep snoring reminds her she’s not alone in the house. 

Emma mindlessly twists the ring on her finger. All manner of craziness had gone on in the past year. It threatened to make her head explode if she thought about any of it for too long. Regina pulled off the biggest magic trick yet: she relocated all of the fantasy realms to Maine. She cast “The Light Curse” – essentially using “The Dark Curse” as its blueprint. 

To top that off, Regina was elected to rule over all of the realms she’d connected, including Storybrooke, and given the moniker “The Good Queen.”  _ Damn what a comeback! _ Regina called it her "second chance." A chance to live a life filled with love and hope rather than one filled with hatred and despair. The thought reminds her of her own second chance. She’s raising her own child this time around.

Emma remembers the coronation vividly. Regina smiled at her with sparkling eyes, perfect teeth and full lips. An incomparably beautiful woman in all her regalia. As Emma starts to ascend the stairs, an old show tune pops into her head: “I wonder what the Queen is doing tonight?” She checks in on her sleeping family, makes sure the baby’s nursery monitor is on. With Regina lingering in her thoughts, Emma decides to pay her an impromptu visit.

..… 

“Your Majesty,” the servant announces as he enters one of her castle's sunrooms, “you have a visitor.” 

Queen Regina turns to face him, “Who?” 

“Mrs. Emma Jones.” 

Inwardly, Regina grimaces at the name. Outwardly, she smiles stiffly and waves to her servant, “Please send her in!” The Queen walks up to the open door and her smile becomes genuine.

Emma steps into the room, green eyes catching brown ones. “Regina,” she smiles. Her grin broadens as does the Queen's.

“Emma,” she says with hints of joy and surprise. Gesturing for her guest to take the nearby loveseat, she herself silently crosses the room. Emma continues to stand, taking the opportunity to take the Queen in. She's not wearing a crown, just a soft burgundy dress with spaghetti straps and a narrow belt. It falls evenly to the top of her toes, her feet in plain but comfortable looking sandals.

Regina looks to her servant who is still standing just inside the open door, “You may leave. And, please, no interruptions while Mrs. Jones is here.” 

As soon as he closes the door, Emma makes a sour face, “Who the hell is Mrs. Jones? That name. It's not me at all.” 

Regina shakes her head, “It sounds strange to me too. I don't think I'll ever get used to it. Can I just go back to calling you 'Miss Swan'?”

The blonde chuckles, "As much as you irritated me by calling me that, it's preferable to Mrs. Jones. Makes me think of Killian's mother." 

Emma finally takes the proffered seat and watches Regina elegantly sit in another overstuffed loveseat opposite hers. Once situated, she offers "I knew a Mrs. Jones once." The Queen sees one eyebrow rise up in interest. "She ran a brothel in the Enchanted Forest." The eyebrow drops, and Emma gives her a lop-sided smirk.

“So it’s been awhile since just the two of us talked,” the blonde begins. 

“Yes. Months.” The brunette continues, “To what do I owe this pleasure?” 

“I’ve been thinking about you quite a bit lately,” Emma says as she looks at the teapot and guest cup on a large, engraved silver tray set atop a beautifully inlaid oval table, “May I?” 

“Help yourself.” the Queen responds, “I usually don’t have anyone to share it with. Have a scone or two as well.” 

“Thanks. That’s actually why I’m here.” 

While Emma puts a heaping teaspoon of sugar in her dainty china cup, Regina teasingly asks “You’re here for tea and cookies?" 

Emma levels her gaze at the brunette. “Regina…” 

The Queen scoffs “You know I can’t resist a jab at you – especially when you leave yourself open to it.” 

The blonde softens her expression, “I want to know how you’re doing? You know? I mean being the queen of, ah, queen of everything? It must be overwhelming at times, at least.” 

Regina is quick to reply, "It’s no more exhausting than looking after an infant!"

"Hope turned five months last week," Emma comments, "and yeah, it is pretty tiring at times. Well, whenever she's awake. She and her dad were asleep when I left the house."

“Both asleep? Shouldn’t you have woken him up?”

Emma gives her head a shake, “I’ve set the baby monitor next to his head with the volume up. That  _ should  _ do it when Hope stirs.”

"Does Snow do all the babysitting when you’re both out?" Regina is having mixed emotions about that idea, the battle showing up on her face.

"Oh God no! She'd have Hope in frilly pink dresses with ribbons and trying to befriend birds and squirrels already." Emma drops her forehead into her hand and shakes her head as if trying to toss the thought from her mind. 

“Honestly, Killian and I don’t go out together much. I’m usually home. Except for when we all attend the ‘Charming Family Dinner’. This is a very rare occasion for me. I mean, leaving Hope in Killian’s care. I can’t visit for long. He can only handle diaper-changing and bottle-feeding.” 

Regina cradles her teacup in both hands, looks down at it and sighs, “It is exhausting.” 

"What?" the blonde can't place the answer.

"Miss Swan," Regina looks into green eyes with all seriousness before continuing, "You asked how I was doing. You know, 'being Queen of Everything?'"

A bit of embarrassment flushes across Emma's face.

“I can’t even imagine how you do it all.” She looks at Regina’s hands, “Do you ever have time to relax?” 

The brunette stares at the blonde’s face and leans back into her chair, “That’s what I’m doing right now my dear.” 

“A cup of tea, alone?” Emma raises an eyebrow. 

“I’m not alone. I’m with you.” Regina replies with eyes narrowed and a thin grin. 

“You know that’s not what I meant Regina. I’m serious. Who do you spend time with? I’m not talking about all the dignitaries and such that you must deal with on a daily basis. Do you have a fr- I mean, a companion?” 

The brunette averts her gaze, “I think a little bird’s been chirping in your ear. You think I’m lonely. How pathetically sweet.” She places her empty cup on the table. 

Emma can’t help rolling her eyes before trying to capture Regina’s, “Are you?” 

“Lonely?” the brunette asks and the blonde gives her a small affirmative nod. 

A moment or two pass and the queen looks out the window. “Yes.” 

The silence between them amplifies. Emma hadn’t really thought this through and was floundering with what to say next. Regina can feel Emma’s discomfort and speaks first. 

“As surprising as it may seem, there happen to be very few people I'm compatible with on a one-to-one basis…  _ Despite _ how much I’ve managed to destroy the ‘Evil Queen’ part of myself, I’m not well-known for being warm and approachable.” 

" _ That's _ hard to believe" Emma chuckles and gets a faux-angry glare from the Queen in return. 

"What about Kathryn?" the blonde asks, "Seems the two of you were pretty close once."

"Well, like you Emma, she is married with children. Busy in her own realm. I see your mother on a regular basis, but it's all business and no fun."

“Remember the night we met?” Emma asks, setting her cup down and grinning ear-to-ear. 

“How could I forget - I was terrified of you!” the brunette answers. 

Incredulous, the blonde’s eyes widen, “Terrified of ME?! Oh my god Regina! I felt like some pathetic ugly duckling and you were like this, beautiful, powerful...” 

“Swan?” Regina finishes for her. 

“Well, yes. In comparison then I mean. I was shocked when you said ‘You’re his  _ birth mother _ ?’ Like, how could I have  _ possibly _ given life to him?” 

“That makes two of us who were shocked then,” the brunette smiles, “I was holding my breath until I heard your timid little ‘Hi.’ 

“Well, right then I did feel small and shy. I mean I’d just found out Henry’s mom was the Mayor, lived in a big beautiful mansion, and looked like she just stepped out of something like Vogue magazine. Hell yeah I was intimidated at that moment.” 

Regina continues with her memory, “After I regained my composure somewhat – I had to imagine what a ‘normal’ mother might do – I invited you in for a drink of cider. What I really wanted to do to you, Emma, was-” 

“Throw a fireball at me?” 

“Exactly,” Regina lets out an exaggerated sigh, “Unfortunately, I had no magic at the time… When you asked if I had anything stronger, I realized that my impression of you being someone I could easily dismiss wasn’t really on the mark.” 

“Here I thought you’d be really grateful I’d brought Henry home, and you began to get all psycho on me. If you’d just said thank you, maybe even offered to pay for my gas to get back to Boston, I would have turned around and left town. You really were your own worst enemy back then.” 

The brunette scoffs and gives Emma a half smirk, “I certainly was.”

.…..

“Where have you been?” Killian asks as soon as Emma steps inside her front door.

“I visited Regina.” Emma takes in her husband’s scraggly hair, thick dark scowling eyebrows, black-rimmed sunken eyes, and a beard overdue for a trim. She walks over to the kitchen and speaks over her shoulder, “I take it you had a good time drinking with your... your group of  _ Jolly Rogers _ ?”

“Jolly Rogers?! What the  _ hell _ Emma; they’re my mates!” Killian walks into the kitchen and stands behind her as she removes a glass from the cupboard. 

When she turns around to face him, she waves her hand in front of her face, “You reek.” Emma fills her glass with cold water from the fridge and asks, “How is Hope?”

“She slept. She cried. She drank. She pooped.” Hook answers while splashing cold water from the faucet on his face. “And I’m managing - Thanks for asking.” His demeanor softens a little, “Emma,” he begins, waiting for her to look him in the eyes, “I would prefer it if you didn’t spend time with Regina.”

Emma’s staring him in the eyes, when her own go wide, “And I would  _ prefer it,  _ if you didn’t come home drunk as a-- as a,” her mind is telling her to say pirate, but that wouldn’t convey her sense of outrage in the least, instead she says “... at 5 in the morning!” She slams her empty glass on the counter, causes them both to wince at the sound.

“You know she can’t be trusted!” His response completely ignores her request. “And I want you to stay away from her.” Hook steps in close. Emma wants to back up, to avoid his foul breath for one thing, but her back is against the kitchen counter. He wraps his hand gently but firmly around Emma’s wrist, “She’ll manipulate you… She’ll try to turn you against me.”

She twists her hand and breaks her wrist free “You’re doing a damn good job of it all on your own!” She sidesteps him and returns to the living room to toss her jacket on the couch. He follows her. Before Killian can say another word, Emma announces “ _ I’m _ going to check on Hope. I suggest  _ you _ shower.” He watches her backside as she ascends the stairs.

Emma doesn’t hear him follow her up the stairs. Instead, she hears him slam the front door just as she reaches Hope’s room. The baby starts to cry at the sudden noise. Emma’s eyes begin to tear. She gently picks up Hope and holds her close to her chest. She softly places a kiss on her baby’s head, “We deserve better than this.”

She places Hope back in the crib as soon as the baby settles. Then she removes her shirt and bra and throws a towel on her shoulder. Emma picks Hope back up again, sits in the rocker and begins to breastfeed. By focusing all her attention on her lovely, little girl, she is able to escape the rest of the world. “My sweet, little Hope. I wish we could just run away together.”

An hour passes with Emma rocking the comfy chair with her feet, and Hope rocking in Emma’s arms. The little girl’s head, face and hands have been scattered with short, sweet kisses. Emma brushes her thumb across Hope’s tiny hand and she sings snippets of songs and speaks quietly and playfully to her. 

Emma has no idea when Killian will return or what kind of mood he’ll be in when he does. All she knows is that she doesn’t want to be there. She picks up her cellphone and calls Snow. After she and Hope are both changed and ready to head out the door, she sends a text message to Killian. It simply reads “We’ve gone to Mom’s for dinner.”


	4. When You're In Love

**_Episode 04_** **_”When You’re In Love”_**

_(Howard Keel & Jane Powell sing this but try to imagine Walt Disney’s original movie “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves” with Snow and Prince Charming singing this) _

“Sweetheart!” Snow exclaims when she opens the door to the house she and David own in Storybrooke. She embraces Emma and Hope with wide open arms. 

Her husband leans around Snow to give Emma a peck on the cheek and Hope one on the head. “Hi Honey!” He broadly smiles. 

“Thanks for having us over,” she tells them as they come inside. 

Snow and David’s home feels so different from her own. It’s a warm and typically cheerful place. Emma’s tried, but she can’t recreate that special feeling in her own home. There, it’s nothing more than a house - a building - that the three of them live in. Here, it feels like there’s love all around you. An atmosphere her Mom and Dad have managed to create but eludes her and Killian. 

“We’re just having spaghetti and meatballs tonight, but I’ll dress it up with parmesan and parsley. How about a big cup of hot chocolate?!” Snow bubbles. It’s true. Emma’s Mom is a person who can bubble with cheerfulness. 

“Sure,” comes Emma’s reply. She finds herself a place to sit on the sofa and brushes the tip of her nose on Hope’s. 

When it comes to conflict, Emma’s mom is known as someone who will either avoid the bush altogether or dive right into it. Emma herself, usually likes Snow’s direct, albeit blunt, approach to troubling issues. Tonight, her mom gets right to the point after swallowing her first mouthful of pasta, “What has come between you and Killian?” 

Looking up from her plate to see both parents staring at her, she remarks “That obvious huh?” Snow “mmhmms” and prepares another forkful. 

The first thought that comes to Emma is Regina, but her second thought is that the main problem between her and Killian doesn’t have anything to do with the Mayor. Inwardly, she grins at the outdated title. Emma can’t get behind calling Regina a Queen - Evil or Good - despite how regal Regina is capable of being. She takes a sip of her cocoa and clears her throat to say “I think Killian and I getting married was a mistake,” but quickly adds, “I think he may think so as well.” 

Snow smiles understandingly as she replies “I think there’s too much thinking going on. What’s happened and how do you feel about it?”

Emma begins with “Killian has started drinking again-”

For the first time, her dad speaks up, “He never stopped. We all know that.” 

His daughter starts again, “Hook’s been hanging out with his old crew on Friday nights and coming home drunk the next day.” 

David reaches across the table to take her hand in his. As he gives it a reassuring squeeze, he tells her “Sweetheart, there really isn’t anything wrong with Killian spending time with his friends or occasionally going overboard with the booze. I get the feeling there’s more to tell us. It’s okay.” 

Her mom smiles lovingly at her, and places her hand on top of David's and Emma’s. She says, “Honey, we care about you more than you know, but we can’t help you if you don’t tell us what the real problems are.” 

Emma shakes her head, “Maybe I am just being unreasonable. Maybe becoming a mother has got my mind messed up and my emotions turned up. I’m sorry.” David gives Emma’s hand one more squeeze before pulling it back, “Nothing to apologize for. Your mom sometimes got very sensitive and easily upset when Neal was a baby.” Snow gives him a _‘you didn’t have to tell her that’_ look. 

David clears the table while Snow pours the wine and Emma checks on Hope. She changes her baby’s diaper and puts her in a fresh onesie. Snow sets two wine glasses on the coffee table and calls over her shoulder, “Be a Charming sweetheart and bring your wine glass with you when the dishes are done?” 

Her husband grins at the sink full of soapy water and replies “Of course, dear. Don’t wait for me.” Snow smiles at Emma and Hope, “He thinks I’m bossy.”

Emma takes a sip of wine. She wants to tell her mom and dad how she’s feeling one moment and then wants to keep it inside the next. Snow can see her daughter’s inner struggle on her face. She tries to help her feel more at ease, “How do you like the wine honey?” 

It works, and Emma’s train of thought is thankfully de-railed for the moment, “It’s really good Mom.” She smiles and takes another drink. She relaxes her shoulders a little and has stopped wringing her hands. “You and Dad actually fell in love, right?” 

Emma looks from Snow to David. He’s approaching the sofa with his glass in hand. Snow answers first, “There was no escaping it.” 

Her father adds, “Although she certainly did try to escape! When Snow put my mother’s ring on her finger and I looked into her eyes - I was hooked.” Her parents look at each other, grinning like idiots.

Snow turns to Emma and says “We’re still very much in love.”

Emma holds her wine glass between her palms and stares into it while she admits “I’m not in love with Killian. I mean I love him, but I’m not _in_ love with him.” 

Snow slowly responds with, “Oh my…” After another sip of wine, she adds “You know, I thought that perhaps you didn’t love him as much as he seemed to love you, but I might have let my own wish for you to be married and have children cloud my perception.” 

Emma nods back at her, “I don’t know what it feels like to be in love. I mean, Killian was, well, like in-my-face about how much he loved me… It’s like I wanted to make him happy - I felt obligated to please him. And you guys.”

David reaches out with his free hand while Hope snuggles and contentedly snoozes into his other arm, “Oh Emma, I’m so sorry.” As he wraps his fingers around her wrist, he adds “Snow and I just assumed that you would want what we have - and when you accepted his proposal, we thought you were both in love with each other.” 

Snow interjects, “David, maybe we wanted it, so that’s what we saw. Not what Emma was really feeling.” 

Their daughter stands up and offers to take Hope from David. She holds the sleeping child against her shoulder and tells her parents, “Yeah. I think I was trying to please everyone but me.”

…..

When Emma and Hope return to their own house, Killian is at the kitchen table reading a book. He smiles at them and says, “How are my two lovely ladies tonight?” 

As Emma locks the door she remarks, “You’re in a much better mood. We had a good chat with my parents.” She noses Hope, “Didn’t we sweetheart?” 

They walk over to Hook and he reaches out his arms to take their daughter into them. He asks Emma “So what did you all chat about?” 

His wife turns to get a glass of water for herself and shifts the conversation by saying “Just this and that. So what book seems to have your interest?” She sits down at the table next to him so she can see the text right side up.

Hook replies, “I think I know what I’ve been missing lately.” Emma gives him a questioning look. He continues “I want to build a ship. A new and improved Jolly Roger! With all the traditional look outside and all the modern technology inside. What do you think?” 

Her eyes widened in surprise, “Wow. It sounds like a great idea!” 

He’s still grinning at her, “I really miss being on the ocean. The sails full and the bow cutting through the water like a sharp blade.” They talk to each other for about an hour, with Emma taking a break to tend to Hope, before they decide to go to bed.

With Hope sleeping in her nursery, Emma enters her bedroom and sees Killian is sitting in bed, the bedspread covering his lower half and his upper body exposed. He’s grinning and raising his eyebrows at her, “Come join me?” She’d noticed earlier that he’d showered before they got home. They are both in a good mood right now so she undresses quickly to join him in bed. They kiss and laugh and have pretty good sex. However, Killian falls asleep quickly while Emma is still very awake.

She gazes at the far wall with unseeing eyes. _Am I being a fool for wanting to be in love? I want to be in love with him, but, fuck it, I can’t force my heart into it. Why do I have to feel like something really important is missing in my life?_


	5. Insecurity

**_Episode 05_** **_“Insecurity”_** _(Scars on 45)_

Storybrooke is a patchwork quilt of autumn colors. There’s a nip in the air and residents are wearing knit caps and scarves in early mornings and late afternoons. Stores and houses are decorated for Halloween. Lighted Jack O'Lanterns grin menacingly at passers by while ghosts rise up from the earth with hollow eyes.

A solid yet soft knock gets Emma up from her kitchen chair and to the door. While she was expecting Regina, she wasn’t expecting the Regina she saw. The brunette’s hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail, and she was wearing clothes that belonged to Roni. Emma could also see that her guest had faint circles under her eyes as she hadn’t bothered to completely cover them with make-up. Her lipstick was more of a lip gloss than the bold color the Mayor usually wore. However, when Regina spoke there was no mistaking her for anyone else.

“Are you just going to stand there gawking at me, or are you going to invite me in?”

Emma closes her open mouth, steps back and motions Regina in. “I’m sorry. It’s just that you look so different from the last time I saw you. Are you okay?”

“Far from it,” Regina replies as she removes her short black leather jacket and places it on the living room couch beside her. She wears a black Bowie t-shirt under it and a black and gray scarf around her neck. She leans back on the couch, her legs uncrossed and stretched out before her. “I am completely exhausted.”

Emma offers her a drink, “A friend of mine makes the best cider you will ever taste. Care for a glass?” 

Regina doesn’t miss a beat, “Got anything stronger?”

Knowing that the Queen would take offense, the blonde answers with, “Rum.”

The brunette’s expression of distaste is worth the spark of irritation directed at her. Emma bites back a laugh and quickly offers, “Whiskey?” For that Regina gives her a smile and a nod. She pours Regina a double shot and gets a glass of water for herself.

Drinks in hand, they settle on the couch, a comfortable distance between them. Emma is barefoot, wearing jeans, and a loose knit sweater hanging low on one shoulder. They simultaneously take a good swallow and then look at each other in the eyes. Small smiles form on their lips. Regina’s gaze drops to her hand holding the glass and clears her throat.

“Thanks for seeing me, Emma.” The blonde begins to respond but quiets when Regina raises her hand. “I’ve missed you. I’ve missed us. We haven’t done anything together in ages. Hope’s baby shower doesn’t count. I know we’ve got separate lives now, each with responsibilities that don’t bring us together, but I miss doing things, adventuring with you, more than I thought I would. At first, I didn’t think I would - not with all my new duties as the Good Queen. Also, I have been, and truthfully still am, hesitant to involve myself in your life. I know having both a husband and a baby keep you busy. We used to be close, and now we are distant. It saddens me.”

Given the opportunity to speak after Regina’s unusually long monologue, Emma responds while reaching out to place her hand on the brunette’s unoccupied one. “It’s fine. Because Hook is working and I’m not, even with Hope to care for, I seem to have plenty of time. Too much of it. I’ve tried to take up domestic hobbies you know? I’ve tried knitting, cooking, crocheting, even scrapbooking!” At Regina’s raised eyebrows, she exclaims, “I know, can you believe that?! Nothing sticks. None of it holds my interest for very long. I really wasn’t around that sort of stuff growing up. I don’t think I’m cut out to be a housewife. I get really bored at times too. I miss the excitement we had together.” 

Hope begins to wail loudly. Emma moves her hand from atop Regina’s and she stands saying, “I swear she’s got lungs bigger than she is! Be right back.” The blonde heads upstairs and within a minute the cries soften and disappear. Regina looks around the house. It’s the first time she’s been there. The baby shower had been at her mansion. She sees Emma padding down the stairs slowly with Hope cradled in her arms. As the blonde returns to the couch she remarks, “I think she’s hungry.”

Regina offers to heat up a bottle but Emma waves her off. “Will you be okay if I just breastfeed her here?” 

The brunette’s mouth opens but nothing comes out. Her cheeks are warm and she knows the blush must show. She composes herself enough to say “Of course.” After all, the Queen’s seen women breastfeeding before, back in the Enchanted Forest, just not someone she’s close to. She finds herself staring at Hope as the baby suckles Emma’s nipple. Regina is fascinated. She once wanted a baby that she’d be able to nurse. She always wondered what that would feel like. “Does it ever hurt?”

Emma had also been watching Hope at her breast, at the question she turns to look at Regina, “Sometimes. If I’m dry or she’s been sucking a long time. Her jaws are getting stronger too.” She re-adjusts the baby in her arms. “When I can, I let her drink from me, but I also pump so there’s a supply in the fridge.” 

Regina briefly imagines Emma pumping the milk from her breasts. “Does that hurt? Using a pump I mean?”

The blonde grins at her with wide eyes “What really hurts is if I don’t pump! Oh my god, I’ve never felt so cow-like before. My boobs get so full and heavy, and if I don’t take care of it right away I’ll start to leak.” Hope has stopped sucking, so Emma gently moves her away from her breast and rests the baby up against the cloth draped over her shoulder. After getting a solid burp from her daughter she brings her back down and asks if Regina wouldn’t mind holding her for a minute. As soon as Hope is in her arms, she is smiling and cooing at the infant.

Emma smiles at the both of them. “Shall we head over to Granny’s? Watching Hope eat made _me_ hungry.”

Regina makes to return the baby to her mother, but the blonde stops her with a palm, “No. You can hold her. I think she likes you. I’ll just grab the baby carrier and my wallet.”

They sit across from each other in the booth at Granny’s. Hope is sleeping soundly in the baby carrier next to Emma. They’ve finished eating and had their plates cleared away when the waitress returns with two herbal teas. 

Regina tells Emma about how irritating dealing with petty, royal squabbles can be. She tells her about having to pretend that she’s empathic and sweet while also wanting to wring their necks. “I’ve shown the restraint of a saint,” she remarks at one point and is rewarded with a chuckle from the blonde. 

“I’ve seen you seething with anger before - has anyone seen that side of you since you’ve become the Good Queen?”

“And lived to tell about it? Of course not.” Regina deadpans.

Sometimes Emma can’t tell if Regina’s joking or telling the truth. “So how do you manage to stay calm?”

“I have a will of steel,” the Queen answers, “and I’m a closeted villain… well… mostly closeted, I may do spiteful little things now and then that I can get away with.”

Emma gives her a scornful look, “Regina.” 

The brunette stares into the blonde’s eyes holding them for a minute before dropping hers down to her cup and gives the last of her tea a swirl before finishing it off. “Ready to head back?” 

Emma stands and leans over the bench to pick up Hope’s carrier. Regina is up and standing and reaches out with her hands, offering to carry the baby. “Thank you,” Emma replies as she hands the carrier to Regina.

They exit the diner and stroll towards Emma’s house, checking out window and front yard displays along the way. After a couple minutes of companionable silence, Regina inquires “Have you visited your mom lately? She visits me about once a week but our conversations usually revolve around government issues.”

The blonde looks at Regina and gives her a small smile as she says “Well, I see her about once a week too. And we never talk about that stuff. We talk about babies and husbands and, you know, home things.” She watches her friend’s lips curl into a soft “O” and then continues talking. “Hook’s building a ship.”

Regina stops walking, a surprised expression on her face, “Is that so?” Her eyebrows raise up and she steps forward again.

Emma resumes strolling beside her. “Yeah, he misses being out on sea. Adventuring… I think it’s a good idea. In fact, I’m bankrolling it. He’s to pay me back with a percentage of his profits.”

The brunette questions “Profits? Is he planning on looting other ships and taking people hostage?” If she’s not serious, Regina’s face doesn’t give it away.

“Geez, of course not!” Emma counters, “He wants to sail down the eastern seaboard and stop in ports to take people on tours and short sails. He’s got it all planned out… Well, at least until he gets to Key West.”

Regina responds with “And you are completely fine with him being away from you and Hope for so long?”

Emma steps up to her front door. “He won’t be ready to leave until Spring. But yeah, I think it will be good for both of us. Even at this early stage, he’s been happier. That makes Hope and me happier too.” She unlocks the door and steps in. “He barely sees Hope as it is. It drives him nuts to sit around at home. Heck, it drives me nuts.” She reaches to take the baby carrier from Regina. “Have a seat. I’ll be back down to join you in just a few minutes.”

Regina makes herself comfortable on the couch and picks up a copy of _Home and Garden_ magazine off the coffee table. She’s read through a good portion of it by the time the blonde comes back downstairs, offering her something to drink as she does so.

Emma comes to the couch, setting two glasses of water down on the table. “I’m sure that’s highly entertaining,” she remarks as she sits down. “Mom gives them to me.”

The brunette smiles back at her, “I enjoy gardening, if you recall. I found an interesting article.” She puts the magazine back down on the table and picks up her glass. “So, what will you and Hope do while the pirate’s off to play?”

“I want to get my body back into shape, for one thing,” Emma begins, “and I’d like to return to being Sheriff again.” The blonde looks at Regina, smiling “And I’d like to visit you more often - that is, of course, if you don’t mind.”

“Not at all,” Regina replies, “We can set up our next ‘date’ - as it were - now if you like.” She pulls out her cellphone to check her calendar. “How about a week from today?” 

“As much as I would love that, we are heading into what I call the ‘Holiday Slide’. After Halloween, it’s suddenly Thanksgiving. Both Henrys will be back in town. By then the stores are switching to their Christmas window dressings and everyone is either partying or shopping. My Mom has so many things planned from next week through January 1st.”

Regina tries to hide her disappointment by smiling back at Emma and nodding with understanding. The one thing she does take note of is that her sons will be in Storybrooke. She’s got some planning and shopping to do herself. “Okay then. How about…” She opens her cellphone’s calendar and January is completely open. She picks a random day. “January 23rd?”


	6. If I Could Stay

**_Episode 06_** **_”If I Could Stay”_** _(Terra Naomi)_

Emma runs her fingers against the cool marble top of Regina’s side table as she waits for Regina to join her in the entryway. The text she got from Regina earlier that morning simply read, “Door’s unlocked. Come in.” Emma had almost immediately started getting ready after reading the text. She’d also dropped off Hope with her Mom this time, so she and Regina could have some time alone together. Not that Hope interrupted them much or her little girl wasn’t comfortable with Regina. Hope had her father’s dark hair but her mother’s eyes, chin, and fascination with the queen. Regina just attributes it to the fact that she’d learned a lot about babies from Henry.

“Hello Emma,” Regina greets as she descends the staircase and breaks Emma from her thoughts. 

The blonde grins back with, “Hello yourself Madame Mayor.” Regina heads into the kitchen, instructing Emma to follow her so she can check on a couple apple pies baking in the oven. As soon as Regina opens the oven door, Emma is so overwhelmed by the delicious smell, she can practically taste it. She tells Regina as much. 

While Regina picks out a couple wine glasses and a bottle of white, Emma makes herself comfortable on a stool at the kitchen island. She rests her arms on the counter and watches the Mayor pour the wine. Regina’s wardrobe always coincides with the place of their visits, Emma’s noticed. There’s Her Majesty’s gowns while at her castle, Roni’s jeans and T-Shirts when she visits at Emma’s own house, and Madame Mayor when they get together at the mansion, like today. Regina is wearing the gray cowl-neck dress, and Emma is in jeans and a tailored long-sleeve, pale blue shirt. Regina notices that when the blonde wears light colors, her eyes are lighter as well. The reverse holding true for when Emma wears dark tops. 

“Are you ‘mayor-ing’ today?” Emma asks after Regina is seated on the stool beside her. Regina turns to face her, takes her glass in hand and simply says “Nope,” taking a sip of the wine. Emma regards her, constantly in awe of how classy the woman manages to look, no matter what she’s wearing. “Is running the Cour still a pain in the butt?” Regina, at Emma’s request, has accepted the abbreviated name for the Council of the United Realms. “Is Mom still trying to have you do things that you believe are idiotic?”

Regina scoffs, “It’s her nature, unfortunately. The Council is as disagreeable as ever… Oh, I forgot to ask, can you drink alcohol?” Emma tells her it’s fine today, and she’ll feed Hope from her breast milk stockpile at home until the alcohol is out of her system. Regina changes the subject by inquiring about Hook’s shipbuilding project. Emma looks out the kitchen window, taking a minute to think about it before answering. 

“Killian is completely wrapped up in it. He is so excited about getting out on the ocean again that he almost works around the clock. Not much time for Hope and me… Not that I mind that much. I haven’t been interested in being with him romantically for over a month now.” Emma twists on the stool to face Regina, “It’s almost like I’ve lost something I never really had to begin with.” She drinks from her glass. “You’ve been in love, so you know how it feels. I feel like I came close to it but then it slipped away. I’m content, Regina, but I’m not happy. Uh, that came out wrong I guess. I’m not happy, so I’m not content.”

“I understand, Emma.” Regina stands from her stool and moves around the island. “Tell you what. How about you take our wine into the living room, and I’ll take the pies out of the oven to cool?” Emma wonders how easy it is for Regina to make a command into a question as she dutifully picks up the wine glasses, glancing over to catch a nice view of Regina’s backside while she’s bending to take the pies out. The blonde comes back for the wine bottle but Regina already has it in hand and is stepping towards her, “Let’s get comfortable. The pie will take a while to cool.” 

They’ve taken a few steps when Emma says “Can I have hot apple pie a la mode?” She’s grinning at Regina in a way that reminds the queen so much of 10 year-old Henry. Regina says that she thinks there’s vanilla ice cream in the fridge, and, if there is, then yes, Emma can.

They settle onto the couch, and turn to face each other. “I thought I could be happy as The Good Queen. Outside of dealing with the Council members, I suppose I can’t complain. I have everything I need…” Regina runs her fingertips along the piping at the top of the couch, “But there is a want for something more. For someone. We’ve touched on this topic more than once, haven’t we?” 

Emma nods and Regina drops her eyes to the tabletop when she continues,“I can’t speak for anyone else, but when I was in love with Daniel, he was all I could think about. I wanted to be with him constantly. I longed for his voice, his touch, the way he looked at me. I wasn’t conscious of any sexual attraction, although I’m sure we would have if we had gotten past chaste, light kisses.”

Emma and Regina are turned to face each other. Emma studies Regina’s face as she talks: how her profile is so perfect, how her lips move when she speaks, how her eyes are downcast as she recalls being in love with Daniel, how those sweet, chocolate eyes are now looking directly into hers. After a minute, Regina ventures, “Are you okay?” Instantly, the heat rises in Emma’s cheeks, and her blush becomes apparent.

“Um, Yeah. I was thinking,” the blonde manages to say. She then looks away and reaches for her glass. Before Regina has a chance to say anything, Emma smiles and looks back at her, “You think the pie is cool enough now?” Regina knows Emma is deflecting but decides she’ll table that discussion until they come back with pie. Fortunately for Emma, there is ice cream. Getting the dessert gives the blonde a chance to compose herself before they resume any serious conversation.

They chit-chat on the couch while eating pie, Emma gushing over how delicious it is, and Regina downplaying the praise. As soon as both empty plates are back on the coffee table, Regina says “So, Emma, I’m curious about what you were thinking earlier.” Emma was prepared for this. She had composed responses in the spaces between their lighter conversation.

“I really like being here with you,” Emma begins, “It’s… I don’t know. Very ‘freeing’ for me? I mean, you don’t expect me to act like a wife, a daughter, a savior or anything. You accept me just as me, as Emma, and that feels so...good?”

“Are you asking me or telling me?” Regina sasses. The blonde gives her a glare and Regina backsteps. “Yes, Emma. I don’t have any expectations of you. Honestly I think that’s one of the reasons I also enjoy being with you so much. I don’t feel you expect anything from me either. That lets me be more candid with you than with, well, anyone else, actually.” Emma grins, “Exactly.” Regina sighs, “We have been so misunderstood and judged. Although our pasts were very different in terms of events, they were similar in how we felt about what happened to us. Betrayed. Abandoned. Living in despair.”

“Henry knocking on my door that night,” Emma adds, “turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me.” She laughs,”I sure didn’t think that at the time! Apart from the shock of it all, we - you and me - were so damn rude to each other. Well, mostly you were rude to me. Beyond rude, you were vicious!”

“Emma!” Regina scoffs. “You came into town and completely tore up my perfect world! How do you expect me to be? Joyful? Dancing around with fairy wings on?” That makes Emma laugh. When Regina hears her she begins to laugh as well. They start to guffaw, cry and even snort - which just cracks them up more. Each time they look at each other, one makes a silly face - Emma sticks out her tongue at Regina, Regina bares her teeth and growls at Emma. That just refuels the fire. Finally they are too exhausted and stop making faces, noises, and giggling out partial sentences to each other.

Minutes pass. Emma, facing away from Regina, is the first to say “God, that felt so good.” She wipes tears from her eyes again and wonders if it’s safe to look Regina’s way. The brunette is having a similar problem. She’s taken a tissue from the box on the table and is holding it out to Emma, who hasn’t noticed. Regina ends up using it on herself.

“So,” Regina shakes her head and turns to face Emma’s profile, “Where were we?” 

Emma musters the strength to face Regina without cracking up, “I love being with you. I hope you don’t mind.” The brunette’s open smile assures Emma that, no, she doesn’t mind at all. 

Regina scoots closer to Emma, close enough to rest her forehead on Emma’s, and tells her “I haven’t laughed like that since. Oh God, I can’t even remember when. And I love being with you too… In spots.”

“In spots?” Emma pulls her head back. “What the hell is that supposed to mean? That you mostly don’t like my company?” Emma looks hurt. She is pouting.

Regina grabs Emma’s chin in her hand, “Don’t be silly! I was only teasing, of course. I love you!” Her hand drops and Emma’s eyes go wide. Regina just happens to notice their wine glasses are empty, and she makes herself busy re-filling them. She then picks up her glass and holds the other out for Emma to take.

Taking the offered glass from Regina, Emma says, “Did I hear you correctly? Did you just say that you love me?” The brunette takes a gulp of wine and tries to brush the question off with her hand. “I’m serious Regina. I’m serious… I think I love you too.”

Scooting back away a little from Emma, Regina says, “We are the closest of friends aren’t we? It’s only natural for us to care about, to love, each other.” Somewhere in the back of Regina’s mind, she knows there’s more to it than that. Regina practically lives for these opportunities to spend time with Emma and Hope. Even surrounded by hundreds of people, the Queen feels alone. When she’s with Emma and her daughter, Regina feels loved. And happy.

Emma nods her head, “Yeah. It’s only natural.” The blonde is acutely aware of how unnatural it is for her to be so trusting of this woman with her. A woman with a panache for revenge that has been unmatched by anyone. Yet, here she is, not just enjoying, but loving that she is with her. “You know, it’s not right for you to be alone. If I could be your fairy godmother, I’d wish for you to fall in love with someone again.”

“Fairy godmother! Oh God!” Regina exclaims, “You have got to be kidding me! You, of all people, should know by now how much I loathe those insects.” Emma goes on to explain that what she meant was actually that she just wishes Regina was in love with someone. That Emma  _ herself _ wants to know what being in love is like. Regina moves closer to the blonde, sets her glass back down on the table, and stretches out her arms to invite Emma in. 

Emma scoots over and rests her head on Regina’s shoulder as the brunette’s arms wrap around her. “Yes,” Regina softly agrees, “That would be nice.”

…..

February is bitterly cold. 

Killian opens his front door to find a dark-haired woman in a black leather jacket sitting on his couch. The woman turns to face him. His eyes go wide, “Regina?”. He’s surprised and confused. This woman can’t be the Regina he knows. Her hair is loose, shoulder-length, full and kind of wavy. The black jacket has flowers criss-crossing the front. What appears to be a red T-Shirt peeks through it’s un-zippered opening. 

Regina turns up one side of her lips in a cross between a smirk and a grin. Killian’s mouth is still open. She simply says, “Yes.”

He approaches her and asks, “You’re from some other realm, aren’t you?” Killian finally notices his wife as she takes a step from the bottom of the stairs into the living room. “Emma?” He glances suspiciously from one to the other. “Will one of you please explain what’s going on?”

Emma approaches him and quickly kisses him on the cheek. With a hand on his arm and a look to her guest, she explains, “Do you remember when Regina had been cursed and believed she was someone else? This is how her cursed self looked.” At this, the proverbial penny drops.

“Ah, yes,” he says, a smile forming, “and, if I was informed rightly, there was another version of me running around.” Killian looks to Emma, “Are you positive this isn’t a dream world or wish realm version of Regina?” 

Regina draws her eyes up to him, “As far as I know, there’s only one other version of me running around, and she’s with the wish realm version of Robin. But no, I was under a curse, as was another version of you. I am the same Regina you knew in the Enchanted Forest, in Neverland, and in Storybrooke.”

Killian shakes his head. “It’s all so bloody confusing. I hate magic.” He pats Emma’s hand that is still on his arm as if to say, “Could you move your hand away luv? I need to move.” Emma follows him as he walks into the kitchen while Regina merely observes them from her spot on the couch.

Emma comes up beside him and says “Well, you do have to thank magic for something. You don’t look like you’re a day over 100.” He chuckles at that and takes a shot glass from the cupboard. Emma smiles, “Not just drinking from the bottle?” He motions to Regina and tells her he doesn’t wish to seem uncouth in front of their guest.

When Killian and Emma return to the living room, the blonde takes a seat on the far side of the sofa next to Regina as Hook lowers himself into the overstuffed recliner. As soon as they are settled, Regina turns to him and says, “Tell me about your ship and your plans for it.” Emma is thankful for Regina’s quick thinking to steer conversation away from any topic that might be more sensitive.

Hook decides he  _ almost _ likes this version of Regina who looks nothing like the Evil Queen or Madame Mayor. The fact that she was a bartender is a huge plus. This Regina is snarky but not near as condescending as her former incarnations were. 

Asking Killian about his favorite subject opened up the floodgates for him. He smiles and describes everything in animated detail. He swears about contractors, bad weather and material delays. All Emma and Regina need to do is smile back and nod occasionally for him to presume their interest.

Once Hook’s well of excitement has emptied, Emma tells him that Regina brought dinner with her. His eyebrows rise as his grin broadens. One thing he can’t fault Madam Mayor for is cooking anything that isn’t excellent. As he expresses his thanks, Regina stands, “I had best get going. Good to see you again Killian. I hope you can launch your ship on schedule.” Unlike Hook, Emma doesn’t miss the hidden meaning in that last comment. Emma stands to walk her to the door but is stopped by the brunette’s raised palm, “It’s fine dear. I can see myself out.” With a small flourish of her hand, Regina disappears leaving just a hint of purple behind.


	7. Somewhere Over the Rainbow

**_Episode 07_** **_“Somewhere Over The Rainbow / Wonderful World”_** _(Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwo’ole)_

Back in Her Majesty’s garb and castle, Regina walks out of the council chambers and Snow is on her heels. The White Queen is asking her, “So you’re just going to walk away from the council when they say something you don’t care for?”

“Of all people, Snow, you KNOW what happens when I can’t control my anger.” Regina’s face is somehow stone-cold and worried at the same time. “I don’t want this! I don’t want this… This!” Regina throws up both her hands. “What the hell was I thinking when I agreed to do this!”

Snow risks reaching out a hand and placing it on a raised arm, helping Regina lower it slowly to her side. The petite brunette quietly suggests, “Maybe you need to take a break away from here for a bit. You are trying to deal with everything on your own. I think the council can manage without you for just a little while.” Regina allows Snow to lower her arm and leave her hand resting on her forearm. Snow continues, “It must be very hard for you.” Regina glares at her. “It must be difficult to be alone so much. If I didn’t have Charming… well. I don’t know what I would do.”

Regina finds a bench to sit on and Snow, still attached to her arm, goes with her. The Good Queen has been silent while Snow spoke. Regina drops her eyes to her own hands that are twisting together slowly. “Perhaps you’re right. I could use some time away from this role I’m playing here. The problem with that is that I don’t have anyone to go with. I don’t want to be alone and everyone I know is coupled with someone.” Snow hears such sadness in Regina’s voice and realizes the truth in it.

After a short silence, Snow brings her free hand to rest atop Regina’s clasped ones. “I have an idea,” she ventures, “I have heard a rumor that Killian’s ship will be ready to launch soon.” Regina inwardly allows herself a small smile. “Emma is staying behind in Storybrooke with Hope.” Regina closes her eyes and pictures the two of them. 

“Perhaps the three of you could take a short trip together?” That small smile is now visible on Regina’s lips. “I’m sure Emma would really appreciate it. You two have become so close these past months.” Snow slowly reclaims her hands and stands. 

She looks down at the seated queen. “I should get back to the council. They are probably wondering if we’ve abandoned them, _or_ , if you’ve finally succeeded in destroying me. I’ll explain that you need some time alone, but please _promise_ me that you will think about my suggestion?” Regina looks up to Snow and nods her agreement. 

…..

There are almost no signs left of the light layer of snow in Storybrooke when Regina opens the door to her mansion. It might have very well been the last snowfall of winter as spring officially started the week before. Regina laughs at the look of complete shock on Emma’s face. “What? You were expecting Madam Mayor?”

The blonde comes inside and replies, “Well, yes. You’ve never dressed like Roni here before.” Emma looks at Regina’s shoulders, revealed by a black tank top that has a low swoop in the back and front. “I like it,” she says, relaxing a little. When Regina asks where Hope is, Emma tells her that her mother offered to babysit this afternoon. “She told me that you and I may have something to discuss, but she didn’t go into details. She was uncharacteristically vague and coy when she spoke to me.” To that Regina tossed her head back and laughed.

“Actually, it’s Snow’s idea but I think it’s got some merit,” Regina says as she motions for Emma to follow her into her study. “Have a seat. Would you like something to drink?” When the blonde shakes her head no, Regina takes a seat opposite her. “Your mother said Hook is getting ready to set sail soon?”

Emma lifts her chin, “Yes. He plans to leave in mid-May.” She knows Regina’s got a follow-up question but doesn’t wait for the brunette to respond. “He’s going to sail to Boston and, depending on how well that goes, on to New York. I know you’ve got something up your sleeve” she stops, Regina’s doesn’t have sleeves, “well, not up your sleeve - you know what I mean.”

Regina clears her throat, “Snow thinks it would be a good idea if you and Hope were to join me for a short vacation somewhere away from here. I’ve given it some serious thought, and I would like to go someplace I’ve never been before. To be honest, I’d like to get as far away from Storybrooke and the United Realms as I can. But I don’t want to go by myself.”

The blonde sits straight up and looks at Regina with inquiring green eyes, “How long do you plan on being gone? I’d have to think about it. I’m not sure how Killian will react to the idea. Do you have any idea where you want to go? This was my Mother’s idea? She didn’t say anything to me about it.”

“It’s alright Emma,” Regina reassures her, “We have time. But if, and when, we do go I’d like to be away for two to four weeks. I know you’ll need to run this past Hook, as much as I hate the idea of you having to get his permission to go with me. As far as where, I’m not sure yet. It depends on whether or not you and Hope join me. I am imagining somewhere warm but not humid. I would love to just wear light dresses and sandals for a change.”

Emma admires the fit of Regina’s jeans as the brunette stands and moves to sit beside her on the loveseat. Brown eyes seek hers as Regina takes one of Emma’s hands in both of hers. “You don’t need to decide anything right this minute. Allow yourself some time now to just, imagine, what being on a vacation with Hope and I might be like. If you could choose, where would you go?”

The blonde closes her eyes. “Okay... I’m picturing a beach... The sun is high above us. Really soft, cool sand feels wonderful between my toes. A big umbrella. Clear water with barely a wave. A small breeze on my skin and gently ruffling the brim of my sun hat. Hope next to me, giggling at me as I tickle her tummy. And you on a towel next to me.” Emma opens her eyes abruptly. Her fantasy was leading her to a place she was too afraid to think about let alone share. She removes her hand from the brunette’s, “I’ll have to think about it Regina”.

Regina smiles wistfully and asks “Want to get together next month? That should give you plenty of time to decide. Right?”

As a hint of sadness appears on Emma’s face she says, “I’m afraid I can’t. Hope’s birthday is next month and then my wedding Anniversary follows the week after.” The corners of her lips rise up with a possibility. “The town - well, my Mom, has organized a send off party for Killian and his crew for the night before the launch. Maybe we can get together after they’ve left port?”

…..

The fingertips of one hand are drumming against the marble kitchen countertop of her Storybrooke home while she holds her cellphone to her cheek with the other. “You told me that the Council could manage well enough without me, Snow!” Regina shifts the phone to her other hand and stands up, straightening her back and beginning to feel like her bottled up anger may be about to overflow. It’s all she can do to not lash out. “I’m coming.” 

Regina arrives in the Council meeting room wearing a black skirt suit and purple blouse. “What is so goddamn important that you can’t deal with it yourselves?!” She fires her question at the dozen or so council members seated around the circular table. 

One of the representatives strikes back with “It’s not that we can’t decide this without you!” Another speaks, “It’s that we think it would be better if we had your perspective on it before we decide.” 

The Mayor-Queen stands with both palms firmly pressed against the table. She lowers her voice and asks, “Has someone declared war?” 

Snow jumps in “Of course not, Regina! Please take a deep breath and try to calm down.” The short brunette comes up behind Regina and gently places her hands on Her Majesty’s hunched shoulders. Snow guides Regina into sitting down at the table and then returns to her own chair. “We need someone to fill in for you while you’re gone, and we thought it’d be best if you could recommend someone.”

“Oh,” Regina exhales and starts to relax her muscles. “I need to think about it.” The queen looks at the faces around the table. She suspects one of them would like to fill her shoes. One by one she rules each one out: too selfish, too quiet, too annoying, too aggressive, too cowardly. She closes her eyes and tries to mentally seek out who would be best to replace her at the Council for the next four weeks - or longer. Regina takes a deep breath in, blows it out and opens her eyes. “Queen Tiana.” Before she could hear any objections, she swiftly flicked her hand and teleported back to her kitchen in Storybrooke.

“Well!” Snow exclaims, “at least she gave us her suggestion. Now it’s up for us to decide.” Everyone started talking at once so no one was heard. As Snow, the White Kingdom Queen, had the ability to rally others around her, she quieted the voices and told the council members that the group would hear opinions from each in turn.

…..

Friday evening comes quickly on May 14th. Despite winter delays, spring construction and outfitting ran ahead of schedule. The ship was finished by the date Hook had originally planned. 

As Killian fastens Hope into the child seat in their recently acquired VW Tiguan, Emma locks their front door and places the baby’s bag behind the driver’s seat. True to the spirit of her beloved Beetle, the SUV is yellow. Whenever she thinks of her car’s color, she can clearly hear Regina stating “Bold choice” in her mind. 

Once she and Killian are buckled in, she drives to Granny’s Diner. When they arrive her husband is greeted with cheers and applause. The dinner party immediately gets underway. A large banner hangs from one end of the counter to the other. In large, bold letters it reads “Bon Voyage, Captain Jones!”

After the meal and festivities at Granny’s, about half of the party ends up at The Rabbit Hole. Emma drops off Hope at the Charming’s on her way over to the bar. Killian got a ride there and soon after transformed into Captain Hook. It didn’t take long for his crew and a few of his friends to become enthralled with the wild, fantastical adventures he claims await them come morning. 

Emma arrives about 30 minutes later and walks over to Killian. He makes a display of leaning her back and placing a long, but not deep or sensual, kiss on her lips. After releasing her, she gives him a quick peck on the cheek and says, “I’ll be over there,” pointing to an empty stool near the end of the bar. Hook smiles back but doesn’t bother looking to where her finger is pointed. “Fine, luv,” he says.

While Hook and his buddies are caught up in tales of past sea-faring shenanigans, Emma takes the opportunity to head over near the women’s room and pulls her phone from her purse. It is barely 9pm and she trusts that Regina is still awake. With all the noise coming from the bar, she decides to text rather than call. “Join Hope and I for breakfast tomorrow?” 

Regina’s reply comes quickly, “Having fun with your pirate tonight?” 

Emma shakes her head and texts back “So much fun! You should be here!”

“Thanks, but no thanks, my dear. I don’t want to reek of rum and smoke.”

The blonde returns to her original question, “So. Breakfast?”

Regina’s answers with questions, “At Granny’s? When?”

Emma makes a fast decision, “Yes. 9am.”

“Okay. Don’t overdo your partying tonight.” Regina ends the text chat. 

…..

Knowing they would be departing at dawn, Killian and his crew are counting their drinks and downing them slowly. Unlike their times in the old Enchanted Forest and fairytale lands, they don’t want to be hung-over for the beginning of the Jolly Junior’s maiden voyage. Emma and Killian get home by 11. 

“Up for a little more fun?” Hook asks once they were showered and in bed. Emma knows that denying him the night before he sets sail would be disastrous, so she smiles back at him and seductively says “Aye, Captain”.

…..

It is still dark outside when Killian looks at his sleeping wife in bed beside him. He has been thinking about leaving Emma and Hope in Storybrooke allowing a little sadness and regret into his heart. Then, his mind becomes preoccupied with the ships launch. It’s merely hours away. He is wide awake as his body pumps more Adrenalin into his veins. Knowing any attempt at sleep is now futile, he gently strokes Emma’s hair and places a featherlight kiss on her brow.

When Emma wakes the next morning she is alone. She looks out her window to the sea. The Jolly Junior is long gone and the sun is above the horizon. Glancing at the clock, she exclaims, “Oh shit!” It is past 8 already. She jumps into the shower, and gets herself and Hope dressed. She speeds and makes it to Granny’s just a few minutes past nine.

Regina sits in a booth facing the door and looks up immediately when the bell rings. Emma knows automatically where the brunette is, in their usual booth at Granny’s. She rushes over to her and mumbles, “Sorry I’m late.” Emma settles Hope’s carrier in the seat beside her. The little girl is wide-eyed and vigorously gumming the pacifier in her mouth. The brunette’s eyes are instantly drawn to Hope. She smiles saying, “How’s my little sweetheart?” The baby grins and begins to wave her arms about.

Emma asks if Regina would like to hold Hope and unbuckles her from the carrier. When the waitress sees that the women are settled, she comes over to take their order. As soon as the waitress walks away Emma asks, “So is your offer still good?”

Regina grins, looking at Hope as she bounces her gently on her lap, “What offer was that? Oh, you like that do you?” The little girl giggles.

The blonde gets nervous, “The one about joining you on a vacation?”

“Oh yeah. That offer. Well the window for your decision is closing fast! Goochy goochy goo,” Regina tickles Hope with her fingertips.

Emma speaks quickly, “We’ll go. I mean if you could still use the company?”

The brunette gives Emma a wide smile, “You don’t even know where I’m going. Are you desperate to leave town now that the pirate’s gone back to sea?”

Emma picks up her cup, gives her remaining coffee a small swirl, and, without looking back to Regina, says, “Yes.”

Regina waits a moment before saying, “I see.” She looks back into Hope’s face and says “I have to give you back to mommy now. Breakfast is here.”

Conversation is replaced by eating their meals, including Hope’s breakfast in a bottle. Regina takes the last bite of her omelette and chews it thoroughly before setting her fork down. “We will be traveling quite a distance.” Emma raises her chin and nods. “We will be gone for at least two weeks. Perhaps even a month.” The blonde nods her understanding again. Regina then asks “How soon will you be ready to leave?”

Emma finishes her waffle, checks on Hope, and answers, “I think we can be packed in a few, maybe four? hours. That soon enough?” Regina tells her that she would personally need more time than that. The blonde finally asks her “Where are we going?”

Regina smiles coyly and scrunches up her nose, “Let’s leave it a surprise for now. Pack swimsuits. It’s going to be warm. And, be prepared for a long flight or two.”

The blonde decides to go ahead and let Regina be evasive and vague about their destination. “I should start packing then?”

“That would be a good idea”, Regina answers, “and I’ll call later to let you know when we leave.” She puts money on the check, flags the waitress and stands. “See you soon, Miss Swan.” Regina leans across Emma, resting one hand on the blonde’s thigh, and reaches over toward Hope with her other to put the pad of her forefinger under the baby’s chin, “See you soon, Little Swan.”


	8. Strangers In Paradise

**_Episode 08_ **_**“Strangers In Paradise”** _ _(Johnny Mathis)_

Emma looks out her window as their flight approaches the airport. When she sees where the landing strip is, she turns to Regina and impulsively squeezes the brunette’s wrist tighter. “Oh my god! We’re landing in a lava field!”

Regina places her other hand on top of Emma’s. “Indeed we are.” Both women are wide-eyed as the huge black lava bed gets closer and closer. When they feel the bump of the wheels, followed immediately by the push of the jet’s reverse thrusters, they exhale. They didn’t even know they’d been holding their breath for the last several seconds.

Hope has been the best passenger for the entire flight. She fell asleep before the plane lifted off in Los Angeles and again before they landed in Kona. She only made a fuss when hungry, and that was easily remedied. Emma checked and changed her diaper on schedule. The blonde knew Hope’s behavior patterns so well. Just in the time they had all spent together since leaving Storybrooke, Regina was getting to know Hope much better as well. And her mom.

After getting their carry-on bags from the overhead bins, Emma unfastens Hope’s carrier. “I can’t believe she’s still asleep. Should I be worried?” Regina smiles back at the blonde with a negative nod. “Well, I’ll probably look it up after we check in at the resort anyway.” The brunette follows Emma and Hope as they maneuver the plane’s narrow aisle and then down the steps of the covered stairway to the tarmac.

Their limousine takes them, from the smallest international airport they’re aware of, through miles more of black lava fields. The blackness is wavy and potted and disappears into the ocean on one side and into green, rising hills on the other side. Emma has Hope in her arms and laughs at her daughter’s cute chubby face “We’re in Hawai’i!” Regina looks out her window and quickly nudges the blonde’s side. She’s pointing to a sign that reads “Donkey Crossing”. They both scan the landscape for evidence. There are no donkeys or any other four-legged creatures - apart from an occasional dog - to be seen.

“Wa-i-ko-lo-a” Emma sounds out as the limo turns left off the main highway. There’s the “Queen’s” this and the “King’s” that, shopping centers or whatever, and the car is soon on a grassy tree-lined boulevard, the black lava visible between buildings and also forming natural sculptures. Some of which have flowing waterfalls and pools. They approach what looks like the end of the road as the car moves uphill into a driveway loop and stops.

The two women and child find themselves standing in an open-air lobby while the Hawaiian-shirted and plumeria-leied bellhop places their luggage in a couple wheeled carriers. Regina carries the two leis that she and Emma were honored with at the airport. A woman in a long floral dress and a hibiscus behind her ear comes up to them. There’s a slit that runs up the side of the dress to her hip that exposes her leg to the thigh. Both Emma and Regina catch each other noticing. The woman gives them a huge smile and asks “Regina Mills?”

The villa is fantastic. Regina has spared no expense. Emma has never felt so spoiled. The blonde is dumbfounded at the extravagance, her looks of surprise and awe eventually causes the brunette some concern. “Are you okay?” 

“Oh wow, I’m sorry Regina. I just can’t believe this is really happening. This is so much better than any of the fairy tale or real world places I’ve been… And there’s even a beautiful crib in my bedroom for Hope!”

The brunette smiles. “Well I suggest you and Hope get cleaned up and ready to head to the restaurant for lunch. When we get back I suppose you’ll want to rest for awhile.” Regina steps into her bedroom, the master bedroom, with its en-suite bathroom and large jacuzzi tub. She exhales deeply “Free at last.” A smile starts in one corner of her mouth and slowly crosses her lips to the other side.

What was supposed to be a short nap for the blonde, ends up being a long sleep. Regina rolls Hope’s crib into the living room to tend to the little girl and allow Emma to continue her slumber undisturbed. The brunette doesn’t mind babysitting Hope one bit. She pulls her from the crib, grabs a baby blanket and bottle and carries her out to their private patio overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The way Hope looks at Regina when she talks makes her think that the child understands her every word.

A few hours later, Regina decides to move their little party inside. Hope’s been entertained, fed, changed and has fallen asleep. As the brunette lowers the baby into her crib, a sleepy-eyed blonde appears in the doorway of her bedroom. Emma manages to croak out “Have I been asleep long?” She can see through the sliding glass door that the sun is approaching the horizon. 

Regina answers “Most of the afternoon. You can go back to sleep if you feel like it.” She finishes arranging the favored stuffed animal and blanket around Hope. Looking down at her, she remarks to Emma “If you’re not careful I just might steal this adorable girl away from you.” The blonde laughs and comes into the living room.

Emma replies, “We are a package deal. If you steal her, you’ve got to steal me too.” She steps barefoot into the kitchen and begins opening and closing cupboard doors. “I don’t suppose you’ve seen any coffee have you?” She locates the coffeemaker and the filters. “Wow, this place has everything… apparently, Except coffee. Remind me to complain about that.”

The brunette has been watching Emma rummage through the kitchen, an amused expression on her face. She is just waiting for the blonde to get to the refrigerator. It’s taking too long to bear, “It’s in the refrigerator dear. A bag of fresh ground Kona.” Emma gives her an exasperated look, “Why didn’t you say so in the first place?”

Emma makes coffee for the both of them and brings the mugs over to the coffee table. She moves a couch cushion, sits down and places the cushion against her belly, lightly crossing her arms around it, “So what’s the plan Your Majesty?”

The brunette sneers at her, “For one… you are  _ not _ allowed to use that phrase, or Queen, or royal or anything that alludes to where we’ve come from.” Emma is a bit taken aback and exaggeratedly mouths the word O-Kay. Regina then tells her that she has no plan for the rest of the day, except for taking a very long bath in that very big bathtub of hers.

…...

If not for Hope, both women would have slept until late morning. Hope, as usual, had other plans. When a robed Regina opened her bedroom door, Emma was already in the kitchen with her daughter on her hip and chatting incomprehensibly to her. Then bright green eyes looked over to Regina, and a broad smile lit up the rest of the blonde's face. “Good morning Regina! Hope and I were just talking about breakfast and decided that we want pancakes!”

Naturally they had macadamia nut pancakes. Emma and Regina were both surprised by how very comfortable it felt for them to be cooking, cleaning up and taking care of little Hope together. It was effortless. They retreated to their respective bedrooms after breakfast to get ready for the beach. Emma didn’t know how Regina managed it, but sometime during the morning the brunette snuck into her bedroom and put the damn cutest little swimming outfit for Hope on her bed.

Emma’s smile is priceless as she emerges from her bedroom with Hope, wearing her new yellow swimming costume, wrapped in her arms. Emma has on an oversized long sleeve white shirt that covers her own swimsuit but exposes her long athletic legs. Regina delights in the sight of them both. “Ready ladies?” 

They follow a short path from their villa to a raised covered platform. “What the heck is that?” Emma asks, knowing it’s got to be something that is a cross between a mattress and an umbrella with curtains. She stands with Hope, who can stand with the help of an adult’s hand wrapped around hers. Regina is setting their basket and bags down on the soft, pale sand. She looks up to Emma’s questioning expression.

“That, my dear, is a cabana.” Regina stands and steps over to where Emma and Hope are standing. She picks the little girl up and places her on top of the covered mattress. “And it’s ours for today.” The blonde bounces onto it, “So far Regina, I’m having the best vacation ever!” Her legs dangle over the edge and she reaches out to pull her laughing daughter to her “Isn’t this the best?!”

Emma’s shirt has fallen open exposing a simple cobalt blue bikini. Regina’s throat is suddenly dry. The brunette reaches for her water bottle. “I’m glad you like it.”

She looks down as she unwraps her sari, revealing her own striped bikini. Emma stares. “Wow.” She notices that the top is barely covering Regina’s breasts and that the - the brunette bends over to get something out of a bag - bottom is not more than a g-string. “You are stunning.” That’s all a stunned Emma can manage to say.

Regina straightens up. “So are you going to sit in the shade or the sun?” She’s holding up a bottle of sunscreen. Emma is suddenly nervous. She is leaning up on her elbows, Hope rolling from side to side next to her. She turns onto her side and teases the little girl. Emma makes some nonsensical noises with her lips pressed to her daughter’s belly and then “Want to play in the sand?”

This stretch of shoreline is very protected and the water shallow. Regina walks out into the beautiful clear water. She stands several yards from the shore and is only knee deep. From that point it slopes at a deeper angle, the water still transparent but taking on an aquamarine hue. She starts to swim further out. Emma watches from her towel on the sand, her toes digging into it. She feels like she needs to pinch herself to be sure it’s real. Hope has been dredging her hands into the sand and throwing it up into the air. Fortunately for Emma, she can’t throw it very far or high. The blonde reaches over and sprinkles a handful of sand on Hope’s legs.

Emma alternates between watching Regina float on her back and Hope play in the sand. The tranquility is broken by the out-of-place sound of her cellphone's ringing. It’s Killian calling. She picks up.

The sun is overhead. A million little stars reflect on the water’s surface. The shadow of a sea goddess makes its way from the ocean to the shore. Drops of water glisten as they fall back into their home. Emma is mesmerized. Regina steps onto the sand and goes for her beach towel. “Hook called?”

The blonde gives her head a shake to break her reverie. “Uh...yeah.” Hope is nestled between her legs and sleeping. “He said that his stops in Boston and New York went well. At least well enough to cover his expenses so far. He’s sailing to Norfolk, Virginia tomorrow.” The brunette lays out her towel next to Emma’s and sits. “I told him how boring it is here and that I miss him terribly.”

Regina, digging for her sunscreen, turns to her, “You did not.” Emma laughs and confesses that she didn’t. After the brunette finishes applying the lotion to her front parts she asks ‘Can you put this on my back?” The blonde blushes but takes the bottle from her, “Okay.” Regina turns over and faces away from Emma. The brunette pulls her wet hair off her back and lays it under her chin. “Thank you.”

Glad that Regina can’t see her, Emma pours the lotion into her palm and begins to apply it to the brunette’s nearest shoulder. She is amazed at the softness of Regina’s skin. Emma has barely held hands with Regina up to this point. She takes a deep breath and watches her hand glide over the tan skin. She’s startled when the brunette reaches her hand back and pulls on one end of the string holding her bikini top together. Regina simply comments that she doesn’t want a strap line.

Emma realizes that she can’t put the sunscreen on Regina’s back properly with Hope sleeping between her legs. She puts the cap back on the bottle. “Let me get Hope settled under that cabana-thing and then I can get the rest.” Her daughter wakes a little when she’s picked up and carried. Emma creates a makeshift crib and barrier with the cushions and blankets atop the covered mattress. Hope settles in and sleeps again. Emma kneels on her towel and opens up the sunscreen bottle.

“I hope you didn’t burn on this side” Emma says as she applies the sunscreen to Regina’s far shoulder. The brunette mumbles something that sort of sounds like “I’m fine.” Emma continues to massage the lotion onto Regina’s back but stops short of the waistband of the bikini bottom. Regina notices.

Lifting her head far enough off the towel to speak properly Regina asks “You afraid of touching my buttocks?” Emma cringes and turns red. She’s so thankful her friend can’t see her. “It’s okay dear, but my butt needs protection too.” The blonde was afraid of this. It seems so intimate. However, maybe that’s what close friends do for each other? Like Emma would know, she hasn’t had a best friend since she was a teenager. Until Regina. She tentatively places a lotion covered palm on Regina’s ass. 

When done, Emma picks up her shirt, puts it on and moves back up to the cabana to check on Hope. Bright green eyes look into hers and the baby raises her arms up, small hands wrap around Emma’s one hand. Emma finds a bottle and scoots up onto the mattress, placing some cushions behind her so she can sit up straight while holding Hope in her arms. While her girl sucks on the bottle, Emma looks out over the ocean and along the shoreline, stopping at Regina’s prone body and wonders how she’ll be able to get up without exposing her breasts.

Her unasked question is answered a minute later when Regina moves her hands behind her back and re-ties the top back together. The blonde is both relieved and disappointed. Regina stands up and walks over to the cabana. “Up for lunch?” They gather up their things and head back to their villa. They change into slightly less casual beachwear and walk to the resort’s closest outdoor restaurant. Emma pushes Hope’s stroller along the path next to a dolphin pool and onto a covered outdoor dining deck. The waiter immediately comes over for their drink order and they discover what a “Lava Flow” is: basically a pina colada with strawberry syrup.

“This is like paradise, Regina. I can’t begin to thank you enough for letting us join you.” Emma smiles before curving her lips around the drink’s straw. “I mean, I’ve been to Florida, to beaches before, but this place is, well, it’s… it’s like heaven.” Regina grins back and leans back and tells the blonde how happy she is that they could join her. That it would be bleak without a friend to share it with.

Their lunches come decorated with flowers. When Emma asks Regina if they are edible she suggests they ask the waiter. The resort they are staying at is so huge that they decide not to leave the grounds until tomorrow. After a few hours of exploring at a leisurely pace, the sun begins to set and they head for the resort’s main restaurant with tables overlooking the water. They feel more tired than they have a right to be and head back to their villa after the meal.


	9. The Kiss

**_Episode 09_** **_“The Kiss”_** _(Karmina)_

For the last six days, Regina, Emma and Hope have been exploring the island, heading to the cooler north end, the rainy east side and the popular Kailua-Kona southwest coast. Emma discovered her favorite bakery, one that claimed to be the southernmost in the USA. Regina found her favorite coffee at Mountain Thunder. Hope found her favorite everything. They were days of laughter, awe and happiness.

Today they rest. They had driven hundreds of miles and deserved a quiet peaceful day, without the distractions of the island. Even Hope is sleeping in with Emma. Regina fixes herself a cup of coffee and sits on the living room couch, preparing to browse a brochure they had picked up during their travels. She reaches for it and then decides not to pick it up. Instead she brings her hand to her mug. Holding it in both hands and closing both eyes, she takes a long drink. It’s a bit too hot but she doesn’t mind. 

Regina lets her head drop back to rest on the couch. Her eyes are still closed and she’s still holding her coffee mug. Her mind, however, has wandered into Emma’s bedroom. She can visualize Emma sprawled on top of the bed covers. She pictures her wearing her customary tank top and boy shorts. It is dawning on her what she has tried to put aside for so many years. She has never felt more alive and more loved than she has with that woman. 

Now that Regina can’t ignore those feelings anymore, she doesn’t know what to do with them. Her eyes open and she goes for another drink of coffee. She wants Emma and Hope to stay with her, not for another week or two, but for as long as she lives. The brunette scolds herself for her audacity. Why would Emma ever agree to that? Regina’s not blind, she has noticed the way Emma looks at her, turns her head and blushes. The blonde is physically attracted to her, of that, Regina is certain.

Emma wakes up one eye at a time. Then she rolls onto her side and looks at her very own sleeping beauty in the crib pulled up close to her bed. She smiles with such love for her daughter. Emma wheels the crib just far enough away so she can bring her legs around and stand up from the bed. Then she goes about changing Hope’s diaper. As Emma enters the living room she catches Regina’s eye.

“Good morning sleepyhead,” Regina greets, “There’s hot coffee in the pot.” The brunette also notices that Emma’s not in her boy shorts but wearing panties instead. “Did you sleep well?”

Emma re-positions Hope against her shoulder and pours herself a cup. “Has the coffee been sitting long?” Regina tells her it’s been about a half hour. The blonde tilts her head side to side before deciding that’s okay - she’s certainly had stronger, more bitter coffee than this. She warms a bottle for Hope and when it’s ready heads over to the couch. “Mind if we join you?” The brunette affirms with a nod and sees that Hope is only dressed in her diaper, a baby blanket on Emma’s shoulder and wrapped around the little girl’s legs.

As Emma moves Hope into a better position for bottle feeding, her knee bumps Regina’s. Her friend is wearing a short navy blue nightie and both women look down at their touching legs. Slowly they bring their eyes up to look at each other. Emma grins slightly and Regina smirks but neither moves her leg away. The brunette reaches for the brochure again.

The blonde alternates her gaze between Hope and Regina. Her friend doesn’t seem to notice as she reads. Emma spoke with Killian yesterday. It seems that word of his voyage down the eastern seaboard traveled faster than the Jolly Junior. When he entered Charlottesville, South Carolina there was a small crowd gathered there to greet them. It seems that people love tall ships and good-looking fun-loving pirates.

There was a time, Emma recalls, that she was attracted to them as well. After her first voyage she didn’t care if she ever stepped aboard again. And it didn’t take that long for her to realize that Killian was always going to be more interested in himself than in her, and in their daughter. Their marriage shouldn’t have been. For Hook, he’d captured his prize and the thrill of attainment was gone. For Emma, she was in love with feeling loved. But her love was never like a love song. She wanted the longing, the fireworks and joy that just being in each other’s presence might bring.

As if sensing Emma’s last thought, Regina cast her a sideways glance. The blonde pretended not to notice it but she sure felt it. Regina was enjoying just being with her. Here, on this idyllic island, away from the United Realms, away from Emma’s husband and parents and everyone else. Believing that all good things must come to an end, the brunette sighed. If only it didn’t have to. If only circumstances were different, love and a happy ending might be within reach.

Hearing the sigh, Emma asks “What’s up?” She scoots a little closer to Regina. “I heard you let out a heavy sigh.”

Regina puts the brochure back on the table. “It seems so perfect right now. I don’t want it to end.” She looks into Emma’s green eyes. “When I realized it must, well,..” She didn’t finish the sentence.

“II guess we can’t escape our responsibilities forever,” Emma speaks softly, holding her gaze,”but we’ve still got most of our vacation ahead of us.” She takes her free hand and rests it on Regina’s leg. Emma gives the leg a gentle squeeze before removing her hand and standing. “I’m going to shower and dress… Would you mind looking after Hope while I do?” The brunette smiles and lifts her arms to take the girl into them.

The day seems to oscillate between comfortable and awkward. The women are aware that some dynamic has changed between them but they are hesitant to discuss it. After Emma puts Hope in her crib for the night, she returns to the living room to see Regina standing by the patio screen door, looking out at the dark sky. The brunette has a glass of wine in hand. Her sleeveless dress skirt moves gently with the breeze. Emma quietly approaches her from behind. Regina doesn’t move.

Before she can stop herself, Emma circles her arms lightly around Regina’s waist and interlaces her fingers. She presses her body against Regina’s backside and rests her chin on the brunette’s shoulder. “What are you thinking about?”

Regina allows herself to relax against Emma. “Just looking at the stars. And wishing.” The brunette loves the way Emma feels and the tenderness she shows. “And wishing that things were different for us.” 

Emma’s heart is right there with Regina’s. “I wish things were different too.” The blonde turns her head a little so that the tip of her nose is in Regina’s hair. She inhales the scent. Her lips are close to the brunette’s ear. “You smell so damn good.”

Regina’s heart is pounding and she feels light-headed. She can’t blame it on the wine. She longs to turn around and kiss Emma. Right now. The brunette tells herself to stop stalling and just do it before the moment is lost. Damn the consequences. Regina turns until their noses are touching. “Emma, I-“ The blonde’s lips are grazing hers and there’s no point in trying to speak. The kiss is painfully delicious.. They taste and caress each other with their tongues and lips. Their bodies press closer together. 

At some point Regina loses her grasp on her wineglass and it falls to the floor. It doesn’t break. Neither does their kiss. Without a thought, Regina’s arms wrap themselves around Emma’s waist. All thoughts have been banished to another realm. They are reacting to each other on pleasure alone. Hands move of their own accord. Breath is shared. Lips find sensitive skin and nerve endings in each other’s earlobes, necks and shoulders. 

Emma pulls her mouth away from Regina just long enough to request “Sleep with me tonight?” Regina goes back to kissing her as soon as the question is asked. Then she releases the blonde’s lips to say “Yes.”

…..

They are awake most of the night into the early morning hours. Neither one of them had been sexual with another woman before - momentary flirtations aside. There was much they wanted to learn. They decided when they started undressing that they would not regret being together. They would love the hell out of whatever time they had.

Regina lay with her head resting on Emma’s thigh. She lightly runs her forefinger along the far side of the blonde’s other thigh, who chuckles “That tickles.” Regina lifts herself up and kisses the line her finger had just made. She looks up into Emma’s eyes and asks “Better?” Her lover hums “Mmhmm” and pulls Regina up for a kiss.

“I think I’m going to do a little internet research today.” Regina announces. “Care to join me?”

“Depends on what you’ll be investigating. But If it has to do with lesbian sex, you can count me in.” Emma grins broadly and wiggles her eyebrows at the brunette.

“Hmmm…” Regina purrs now resting her cheek on the blonde’s breast. “How’d you manage to avoid stretch marks? Your abdomen is perfect.”

Emma laughs, bouncing the brunette’s head against her. “When I found out I was pregnant with Henry I didn’t want any marks. I didn’t want any  _ guy _ thinking I’d had a child. Anyway, I worked out a lot before his birth and then again as soon as I could afterward. Same when Hope came along.”

“You  _ are _ awfully buff, for a  _ woman. _ ” Regina teases back, before scooting herself down and kissing and sucking on said abdomen.

“And that was a very sexist remark lady… Who ever said women shouldn’t be buff?” Emma stops suddenly when Regina’s nose wanders into her pubic hair. The brunette then extends her tongue and begins to twirl the hair with the tip of it. Emma leans on her elbows and looks at the back of Regina’s head. “You better not be teasing me.” The blonde admires Regina’s back and ass and the woman continues her descent. Emma drops back down on the mattress and raises her hips. Regina’s not teasing.


	10. Once Upon A Dream

**_Episode 10_** **_“Once Upon A Dream”_** _(Lana Del Rey)_

“Let’s go nudist today.” Regina suggests as she eventually gets out of bed. “Let’s draw all the curtains and tell room service to leave our food outside the door.” She goes into the bathroom next door over and looks at Emma’s tub. “And let’s sleep in my room tonight. Did you see my bathtub? It’s big enough for three.”

Emma tries to sound offended when she says “Why Madam Mayor, what can you possibly be thinking?!”

“Not that!” Regina answers from the hallway. “And there is no ‘Madam Mayor’ here!”

Regina has her elbows on the kitchen counter and the Room Service menu in her hands when Emma silently comes up behind her, her breasts resting on Regina’s back and her hands on the brunette’s hips. She begins kissing the back of Regina’s neck and moves her hands around to the inside of Regina’s thighs. When she moves her hands up, the brunette drops the menu, drops her forearms to the counter and then her head onto her arms. 

About an hour later, Room Service arrives with their brunch order. It contains a platter of fresh fruit. Regina picks up a ripe peach and eyes it curiously. “I wonder how this would taste…” She takes a large bite out of it. It’s so juicy a little dribbles down her chin. As soon as she’s swallowed, she finishes her sentence “... on you.” She moves around the table to enjoy a peach-flavored kiss and rubs the inside of the fruit on Emma’s breast. 

When they finish their playful love making they are very sticky from head to toe. Emma tells Regina that now would be a great time to check out that huge bathtub. After a very thorough cleansing, they exit the tub and dry off. Still nude, they get Hope and sit on the living room carpet. 

Emma laughs “Hope’s the only one dressed”. The baby’s in a diaper. Regina has a hand towel attached to Hope as an oversized bib and is feeding her what appears to be a carrot and pea paste. Emma reaches for the television remote and turns on cartoons. She finds the Disney Channel and some vintage cartoons. “These are older than I am,” the blonde turns to Regina, “Older than you, I’m not so sure.” The brunette says nothing but glares back with her teeth bared.

When Hope falls asleep again, the women learn what causes rug burns. Room Service comes with dinner and this time they don’t play with the food. After the meal, Emma decides she feels like dancing. She gets up and finds her phone. After a few minutes, she locates something she is in the mood for. It’s not disco, that’s for sure. It’s not jazz or new age either. It doesn’t even sound contemporary.

Regina gets up and moves closer to Emma. “Do I hear… harp, recorder and hammered dulcimer? Your choice surprises me.” She takes Emma’s hand and leads her to the most spacious section of the living room. “This sounds more like ballroom music from the Enchanted Forest.” The blonde grins at her.

“Good.” Emma tells her as they stop and face each other. “I would like you to show me a dance you learned when you were growing up. Then later we can change the music to my century and I’ll teach you a dance. Sound fair?”

“Fair enough.” Regina replies. Still holding one of the blonde’s hands, she reaches for the other and raises their arms between them so that their forearms are touching. She smiles at Emma and says “Just mirror my movements.” Regina taps the bare toes of her right foot away from her while looking down at them. Then she brings her foot back to center. Without looking up, the brunette repeats the moves with her left foot. Coming back to center again she lifts her eyes once again to Emma’s.

They begin moving in synchronization: approaching, distancing, circling, swaying, and stepping sideways. Arms raise, lower and separate, but only briefly before one or both hands are held. At the moments in the dance, when they would traditionally move on to another partner, they circle back to each other. Emma isn’t having any difficulty following Regina’s lead. They move through the music, appreciating each other’s fluidity and physical bodies, from the profile of an upward chin to the end of a pointed toe.

When the last note plays, Emma and Regina are standing close, facing each other. Emma steps closer, their breasts touching. She softly says “You know what. I’ll teach you a dance tomorrow. I like this.” She leans forward and licks the brunette’s slightly parted lips, before slipping her tongue inside and pressing her lips to Regina’s. They don’t even hear the next song that plays. They sway to their own rhythm, hands sliding over flesh, squeezing some parts and stroking others.

Later in the night, they sit on the couch and explore the Adult pay-per-view on the television. They make out and have sex - sometimes trying to imitate the movements on the screen. Satisfied and exhausted, Regina and Emma lay on their backs upon the large soft rug which had been under the coffee table.

Fingertips touching and eyes closed, Regina remarks “The only thing missing is our private, secluded beach. I’d love to take a moonlight swim in the nude.” Emma intertwines her fingers with Regina’s. She says that Regina could probably get away with one anyway. “Just wrap a towel around yourself and toss it off before you get in the water. Hope and I will stand guard over the towel so no-one steals it.”

They roll Hope’s crib into Regina’s room and lay on one side of the king-size bed, arms and legs around each other. Tonight they fall easily into an uninterrupted pleasant sleep. 

The next several days pass as if in a dream. They refuse to think about anything other than the three of them and the beautiful world they’ve discovered. But sometimes the outside world insists they participate in it.

…..

Emma receives another call from her husband. He asks why he’s always the one to call her and not the other way around. Then he tells her that they are in Port Canaveral Florida which is just east of Orlando. His excitement builds when he says that a group from Walt Disney World came out to greet him. Someone jokingly said that the company was going to sue him for copyright infringement and it had him fairly riled up. 

The tune changed when the group toured his ship and asked if he’d be open to entering into a contract with the company. They returned the following day with a proposal. Walt Disney Cruises wanted to hire Killian, his crew and the ship for short cruises from Orlando to the Florida Keys. There were conditions he’d need to meet and certain modifications that would need to be made to the ship. He’d also need to take on some additional crew, basically Disney employees. However, he felt that he might make a small fortune off the venture and wants to know what Emma’s thoughts on it are. She said she’d call back the next day and he encouraged her not to dally because he didn’t know how long the offer was on the table for.

Killian accepted the Disney offer before Emma got back to him. He didn’t say so, but she knew. One restriction was that he couldn’t go by “Captain Hook” so he easily agreed to be “Captain Jones.” They were also questioning the “Jolly Junior” as the name for the ship. That was still under discussion. Additional crew consisted of two male and two female, formerly Walt Disney World “Cast Members” who previously masqueraded as Peter Pan and Wendy in the theme park. Killian didn’t want them but ultimately conceded.

“At least he feels more himself now,” Emma says as she feeds Hope a jar of breakfast mush. Regina comes up beside her and gives her a lingering peck on the cheek. “He was so frustrated being bound to the land and had no new adventure to look forward to… We were both missing the excitement of our pasts.”

“I can’t say I wasn’t having a new adventure dealing with the United Realms. It was just a frustratingly boring one.” Regina remarks, pulling the hot bagels from the toaster oven. “And I missed you so much. In denial, but seeing shadows of you wherever I went.” She removes the cream cheese from the refrigerator. “Don’t let it go to your head, but I dreamt of you, Henry as a boy, or the both of you, almost all the time.”

“Too late” Emma laughs, “ego swollen.” She wipes breakfast off Hope’s chin. “If we’re going to be fair, I thought about you a lot too.” The blonde reaches out to take a bagel from Regina’s hand. After taking a bite, she remarks “This is good... But what if we go on a special mission to locate a bear claw today?”

Regina deadpans. “Be still my heart.” She finishes spreading the cream cheese on the other half of the bagel. “Emma?” The blonde looks into Regina’s eyes. Eyes that remind her of coffee, caramel, chocolate and peanut butter. She notices how often she relates colors to foods and drinks. Emma scrunches her brow. Regina steps closer and places a sweet kiss on her lips. “We have to talk about returning.”

“Can we not?” Emma sets Hope on the floor amongst her baby blankets and toys, before she sits down next to her. “We don’t even need to start packing until tomorrow.” She starts to practice patty cake with her daughter. “I’m not ready.” Emma watches as Regina moves around the couch to join them on the floor. “I feel like I only just found you. The idea of separating… it makes my heart hurt.”

Regina places her free hand on Emma’s arm. “I wish… I wish I could have told you I was in love with you years ago. I didn’t want to feel like that. Sometimes when we’d be together I’d want to touch you or kiss you but I would destroy the desire immediately. I believed it - you and I together - could never be. To think otherwise was childish and delusional.”

Emma allows Regina to finish eating her bagel in peace. Then she asks her “What the hell are we going to do?” The blonde reaches out to hold Regina’s now empty hand. “What on earth can we do? Try to secretly continue seeing each other? Forever?” Emma’s eyes begin to tear up. “I don’t think I’d be able to live with that.”

Regina draws Emma close and holds her tight. “There has to be something we can do”. The brunette places a finger on Emma’s lips to stop her from saying ‘there isn’t’. “We’ll talk about it later. Right now I just want to keep you next to me.” Emma kisses Regina’s finger. She moves it away so she can passionately kiss the woman on those so-damn-kissable lips of hers.

The sun sets into the Pacific and the stars start filling the sky. Emma and Regina are sitting at the table on their patio and drinking wine in the growing darkness. “What if,” the brunette begins and then stops. “I need you to hear me out Emma.” The blonde consents. “What if… I abdicate the throne and you divorce the pirate?”

“What the fuck?!” Emma blurts out. Regina tells her to calm down and drink more wine. The blonde takes a long sip before saying “And then what? We stay in Storybrooke, and date each other? Yeah, right. That’s not going to happen.”

Regina rebuts “We don’t have to stay in Storybrooke or in the fairytales lands or anywhere near Maine for that matter.” She stares at the blonde. “I suppose you have a better idea?” Emma half-expected Regina to complete that question with “Miss Swan”. To her credit, she didn’t. 

“Okay… well what if…” Emma plays with her wine glass. “What if we decide to extend our vacation? I mean, Killian’s going to be busy with his cruise business for several months. It’s not like anyone - well, besides my mom - is going to seriously deny your request for an extension, right?”

“True, dear. But I’ll agree only if you agree to seriously consider divorcing Hook and make up your mind before our time here is up. There’s no reason we’d need to stay in Storybrooke or even in the United States.” Regina’s voice is firm. “Also, I’m not going to abandon my idea about leaving the throne - especially if it’s to be with you and Hope.”

Emma closes her eyes and tenses her forehead. Regina can practically see the gears whirring. The blonde seems to be playing out scenarios in her mind. Minutes pass. Each minute feeling like forever. A warm, gentle breeze picks up, blowing softly against their skin like a caress. When Emma relaxes and opens her eyes, she simply says “Okay.”

A smile spreads across Regina’s face. Emma catches it and grins. The brunette says, “I have a little surprise for you.” The blonde immediately takes that as a sexual innuendo and raises one eyebrow with interest. Regina reads her mind, “Not that kind of surprise, but… the night is still young… See that candle?” Emma looks to the unlit candle in the dim light. “Watch.” The brunette snaps her fingers. The candle wick ignites. 

“You can use magic here?!” Emma, eyes blown wide, whisper-shouts across the table. Regina just nods. The blonde immediately snaps her fingers and the flame is snuffed out. “I thought that wasn’t possible.” She snaps her fingers again and the candle re-ignites. “I’m not sure we should be doing this. It’s like indulging in another guilty pleasure.” The brunette’s broad grin shows her teeth gleaming in the candlelight.

“Isn’t it.” Regina remarks. “And, it could come in, um, convenient, shall we say, later tonight?” Emma chuckles. “You might think I was reading your mind, but I’ve noticed that sometimes, on rare occasions, our thoughts are very much in sync.” The brunette gets up from the table, “Another glass?”


End file.
